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Is vocational training worth it
Choosing the right education path for many people is one of the most important decisions in their life process. Most pursue university education while others get trained and skilled in one specific job. This article assesses the prospect of vocational education in the current job market.
This is a user generated content for MyStory, a YourStory initiative to enable its community to contribute and have their voices heard. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of YourStory.
Education is a vital part of setting yourself up for a competent and professional career. Most people pursue university education to increase their hiring chances and be skilled in one specific job, however vocational education is proving to be just as effective in getting the skills that you need to perform in certain jobs.
Vocational training is based on equipping people with the skills needed for jobs with commercial and industrial applications. Such jobs require you to have practical skills rather than a wealth of knowledge and those skills can be obtained by taking vocational training courses at trade schools, with on-the-job training or training at technical schools. The skills obtained from these courses can help you find work in a number of fields such as computer repair, beauty, therapy, and locksmithing.
Locksmiths, for example, require certain qualifications that are best obtained by taking vocational training courses. Many jobs that VET (Vocational Education and Training) programs train you for are sometimes considered to be dying trades but the reality is that such businesses are flourishing.
Locksmiths will always be in demand because homeowners will require someone to help them once they lose their keys, and commercial projects need a bevy of locksmiths to make sure that every door has a functioning lock because they need to be certain about security. In some cases, they will need a specific kind of lock that only a professional locksmith can install.
Advantages of vocational training
Affordable tuition fees are one of the best things about vocational training. VET courses are short and require fewer resources which is why they are more affordable than university degrees. For the time that it would take and the money that it would cost to get one university degree, you can do several vocational educational courses instead.
The career-specific nature of vocational training appeals to many people. With VET you learn only about the field that you are interested in rather than spending time on classes that will not help you in the future. This saves VET students a lot of time and energy.
Because vocational courses are so specific, you can start learning practical skills as soon as you start the course. Many employers prefer to hire someone who already has the skills needed to start working right away rather than spending more time and resources on additional training.
But is it worth it?
Having a high school diploma is commendable, but it is not enough to land you a job in today's competitive employment market. Employers will be happy to know that you have the dedication and discipline to get the job done however the lack of specialization may make employers look you over for another option. This is why people are opting for higher education, and vocational training may be exactly what you need to give you that edge.
Before you decide on what form of further education you need, you need to consider your return on investment. If your aim is to become a doctor then you will definitely need a university degree however if your goal is to become a locksmith then a university degree is overkill.
Go for the vocational course instead and you'll learn everything that you need to know about your field of choice in a fraction of the time and at a much smaller cost. University degrees look good on paper but they are worthless when compared to someone with experience and specific knowledge.
Characteristics of vocational education training course
Before you make the decision on what form of higher education is right for you, consider these important features of most VET programs:
VET programs teach you everything that you need to know about industry standards: VET programs are short and precise which allows the course moderators to adapt to new industry practices on the fly. If there is a new technology being used in the industry then VET programs will probably implement it into their courses much faster than a university would.
VET programs are national: Nobody likes to think about having to move to a new city at a moment's notice but that does happen sometimes. If you are taking a VET course then you can easily transfer your credits to a trade school in your new area.
VET programs give you work experience: Trade schools give their students hands-on experience by teaching them how the workplace operates and giving them interpersonal skills from day one.
Conclusion
The education and career choice is definitely one of the most important aspects of an individual’s life and has a great impact on your future. As the world changes new career paths emerge and some of them are replaced by new ones as a result of technological developments. Nevertheless, some jobs are very secure and will be here for decades to come - vocational jobs fit into this category.
For those who are more practice-oriented and who like to include a little physical activity into their everyday working routines, a skilled trade job is definitely the right choice. All the people out there who believe in their abilities to gain new skills and have always intuitively known that they’re good at something that is considered vocational, then a VET programme is an instrument to accomplishing your goals.