Àâòîð: Melissa J. Doak
Èñòî÷íèê: http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/854/Vocational-Training.html
Vocational training is training for a specific career
or trade, excluding the professions. Vocational training focuses on practical applications
of skills learned, and is generally unconcerned with theory or traditional
academic skills. A large part of the education in vocational schools is
hands-on training. Vocational training thus provides a link between education
and the working world. It is usually provided either at the high school level
or in a postsecondary trade school.
Vocational training offers training for specific jobs.
Since vocational training often begins in high school, students can graduate
prepared to take a high-paying, skilled job immediately. Graduates of trade or
vocational schools have an advantage over informally trained job-seekers
because an independent organization certifies that they have the skills needed
to successfully perform a specific, skilled occupation.
Most high schools offer some form of vocational
training program, increasingly called career and technical education. The
expanded concept of career and technical education provides for a planned
program of courses and learning experiences that allow students to explore
career options, develop academic skills, achieve high academic standards, and
prepare for industry-defined work or advanced education. For example, the Tech
Center at Yorktown, New York, offers twenty-nine vocational specialties, not
only to prepare students for the construction and manufacturing industries
(traditional specialties of vocational education), but also for jobs in business,
human services, health services, and natural and agricultural science.
Specialties are as diverse as advertising art and design, television
production, computer graphics, cosmetology, business and computer technology,
auto mechanics, carpentry, masonry, small engine technology, practical nursing,
floral design, and urban forestry.
Public schools in some states have separate vocational
schools where students attend part time, either as part of the school day or in
the evening, for specialized programs in addition to academic courses. These
programs usually include a sequence of courses as well as work-based learning
experiences. Large communities and cities often have separate public schools
that students attend full time that provide both academic instruction and
vocational training to high school students. These schools commonly use the
cooperative training technique, in which students work part time in the job for
which they are preparing. The traditional focus of these schools is changing;
no longer do students simply train for a vocation, but they are also required
to work toward a high school diploma or a GED. Additionally, students are
encouraged to consider going on to some form of postsecondary education.
The 2004 National Assessment of Vocational Education,
published by the U.S. Department of Education, reports that nearly one-half of
all high school students in that year were involved in some form of vocational
training, even if just one course. The report found that vocational training at
the high school level had positive effects on short- and medium-range earnings.
It also found that high school students who participated in vocational programs
also increased their academic course taking and achievement, as well.
Despite these positive findings, however, career and
technical education in secondary schools is on the decline in the twenty-first
century. One reason is that traditional vocational training prepared students
for manufacturing jobs, such as mechanics and repair and precision production,
but the manufacturing industry in the United States is in decline. Instead, the
economy is becoming more service- and information-based.
The National Center for Education Statistics notes that this change is partly
responsible for a trend toward a greater emphasis on academics in vocational
training, as workers in a service- and information-based economy have a greater
need for critical thinking and social skills. The greater academic emphasis
also results from toughening requirements for graduation from high school
nationwide. The focus on academics has led to fewer high school graduates
taking any specific labor market preparation courses, and an even bigger
decrease in the number of students concentrating in the vocational curriculum.
Another reason vocational training at the secondary
school level is declining is that low-achieving students were often
"dumped" into the programs, undermining program quality and rigor.
Traditionally, high school students in vocational programs have not been expected
to go to college. While considerable federal effort and funds have been
allocated to change that, there is evidence that those who participate in
vocational programs at the high school level are more likely to get an
associate's degree or postsecondary certificate than they are to go on to and
complete a four-year college degree. Public high schools implemented some
vocational education–related reforms in the late 1990s, including greater
integration of academic and vocational education and less "block scheduling"
of vocational courses. However, these reforms have not yet produced increased
achievement or college attendance for those who select vocational training.
The administration of President George W. Bush
proposed to eliminate all federal funding for high school vocational education
in fiscal year 2006. While some funds would still be available through a new
program known as the High School Intervention Initiative, wide local discretion
on how those funds might be used, coupled with an expansion of required high
school assessments, would lead many local educational agencies to pursue
interventions other than vocational education. It seems probable that
vocational education options available to high school students will be
significantly reduced during the next decade.
Vocational programs at both the secondary and
postsecondary levels vary in their quality and effectiveness. While graduation
from a good vocational program or trade school can greatly improve one's
employment outlook, there are other ways to get specific occupational training.
Apprenticeships, military service, community colleges, and distance learning
courses all provide opportunities to improve job skills and employment
possibilities.
Completing an apprenticeship is an alternative to
traditional vocational training. Apprenticeships are most common for highly
skilled manufacturing or construction jobs, but are available for more than 850
occupations in many industries. Common programs train people to be
boilermakers, bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, firefighters, machinists,
millwrights, plumbers, roofers, telecommunications technicians, and tool and
die makers. Less common programs train people to be stage technicians and
actors, cooks, designers, paralegals, environmental technicians, computer
programmers, and landscapers.
Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with
classroom instruction. Apprentices are paid while on the job. Apprenticeships
typically take four to six years to complete, although some can be completed in
as little as one year. Because apprenticeships are paid programs, competition
for available slots is often fierce.
About twenty-nine thousand apprenticeship programs
exist nationwide. These apprenticeship programs are registered with the
Department of Labor, and graduates receive certificates of completion that are
accepted by employers around the country. In 2005 more than 150,000 people
began apprenticeships, while almost 57,000 graduated from their apprenticeship programs,
becoming journey workers.
Another avenue for occupation-specific training is
through an employer. Many employers provide the basic training needed to
perform particular jobs. Others provide training that allows employees to
advance in the company. Companies may also provide employees with general
employment skills assistance such as computer skills training, human resources
training, or training on how to work in a team. These are valuable to workers
in their current jobs, as well as in future employment.
U.S. companies spend more than $60 billion a year on
training programs—either to train new employees, provide employees with
additional skills needed in their jobs, or to help employees prepare for new
jobs. Large corporations may maintain a training staff in house, but medium-
and small-sized companies usually hire a consulting firm or a professional
association, or contract their training to a college or university. Sometimes
training is provided by vendors; for example, a software company may provide
training to customer service employees of a company that adopts new customer
service software, either free of charge or for a small fee. Some companies also
offer partial or full reimbursement of college tuition for their employees.
Employees learn on the job in many occupations.
On-the-job training is particularly used in manufacturing. In textile mills,
for example, extensive on-the-job training is generally provided. Training is
offered to beginning workers as well as more experienced workers, to enable
them to advance to more skilled jobs. This training often takes the form of
being paired with a more experienced worker on the floor. Classroom instruction
may also be used. As companies develop a greater emphasis on teamwork, many
firms have developed training courses that encourage employee self-direction
and responsibility as well as the development of interpersonal skills. In
manufacturing sectors such as motor vehicle and parts manufacturing and machinery
manufacturing, employers frequently offer formal apprenticeship programs that
combine on-the-job training with technical classroom instruction.
Another option for obtaining job skills is to enroll
in distance education programs that provide career training. Distance learning
programs allow a student to learn at his or her own pace and complete work in
his or her own time. They provide the same course materials that would be found
in a typical classroom setting, but those materials are delivered outside of a
classroom setting—typically either through the mail (a correspondence course)
or online. In some distance learning programs a student must be online with a
teacher or other students at a specific time, and assignments must be completed
according to a rigid schedule. Other courses are designed for students to
complete at their own pace. And these courses are diverse: one can develop
skills and knowledge in bookkeeping, carpentry, home remodeling and repair,
computer programming, Web site design, dressmaking, pet grooming, photography,
day care management, motorcycle or small engine repair, court reporting, and
many other fields.
Distance learning has many advantages. It can allow
students the flexibility to choose when and where they will do their course
work. Students may study at any time, read materials at their own pace, focus
their efforts on topics that they aren't already familiar with, and also
interact with teachers and other students from around the world. There are disadvantages
to pursuing a distance education certificate or degree as well. Students must
have a high degree of motivation as well as good time management skills in
order to be successful. Some students struggle with a sense of isolation, since
they can't meet the teachers or other students in person. Still, distance
education provides another option for obtaining necessary or desirable job
skills.
When looking into distance learning, it is important
to find legitimate, quality schools. The key to a successful distance learning
experience is having adequately researched and evaluated the program. The
school should be accredited. Usually a school will put this information on the
homepage of their Web site. The accrediting association should be recognized by
the Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a
database of accredited schools at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. The best
schools are regionally accredited. Some schools may have Distance Education
Training Council (DETC) accreditation, but caution is recommended when
exploring these schools. While DETC is recognized by the Department of
Education, less than half of regionally accredited colleges recognize the
validity of DETC degrees. Some employers will not accept DETC degrees either.
Unaccredited schools should be avoided.
Also investigate the quality of the faculty. Are the
teachers and staff of the program listed on the Web page? If not, be
suspicious. If the faculty members are listed, research their backgrounds. Do
they hold advanced degrees from many different schools? Is there a good
student-faculty ratio? Ten faculty members serving ten thousand students would
be a poor ratio, for instance.
Finally, consider student service. All distance
learning programs should provide several ways for students to get in touch with
faculty or administrators—e-mail, mail, phone, fax, or online forms. Legitimate
schools will do this. Phone calls to the school during regular business hours
should result in contact with a school representative, not just an answering
service or a generic voice mail message.
There are many options available for obtaining
occupational skills. Traditional vocational education, offered in high schools
and postsecondary trade skills, is still a good choice. Other excellent
alternatives include apprenticeships, community college programs, the education
and training offered by the military services, and distance learning courses.