Many High School Graduates Opt For Vocational Careers
Students who want to study for an area where jobs are expected to open might consider vocational training. Vocational training is intended to provide students the skills they need to land jobs. Recent reports suggest that some of these jobs can be secure and provide attractive salaries.
The U.S. Department of Education and its National Center for Education Statistics refers to vocational training as career and technical education. Computer technology as of 2005 was the most popular occupational concentration among public high school graduates, according to a National Center for Education Statistics report. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts suggest that 45 percent of job openings over the next 10 years are to be in fields such as these as well as in positions such as construction supervisors, machinists, dental hygienists and paralegals.
Professionals throughout the world have also reportedly suggested smooth transitions from high school to workforce training that's aligned with employer needs and that includes "green" jobs. A speaker at an April Going Global education conference in London said that vocational education specifically has for 10 years played an important role in Europe, according to a Chronicle of Higher Education report. More foreign students in Australia enrolled in vocational programs in 2009 than those who signed up for university degree programs, a Chronicle news item noted.
Students might study for these fields at career and technical schools or through campus or online college and university programs. Some campus and online college, university or career and technical programs are at the undergraduate level and can take two years or less to complete. Others might be offered into doctorate degree levels.
Completing training within two years or less can result in a certificate or an associate's degree. Information in a "32 Trends Affecting Distance Learning" report suggests that some employers might view certificates, along with hands-on experience, extremely desirable. Studies also consistently show that college-educated employees earn more than their non-degree counterparts. The average worker with an associate degree in 2006 earned nearly 33 percent more than the worker with a high school diploma, while the average worker with a bachelor's degree earned about 62 percent more than a high school graduate, according to a Brookings Institution policy brief mentioned in an Inside Higher Education report.
The Department of Education has recommended that students interested in continuing their studies seek out institutions that are accredited by nationally or regionally recognized agencies. When a campus or online college, university or career and technical school is accredited, it meets standards set by those agencies. Students are more likely able to transfer credits and obtain tuition assistance, according to information from the Department of Education.
Students interested in online degree programs and vocational training can apply for vocational-specific scholarships from organizations such as The Home Depot and the Automotive Hall of Fame, according to a Bankrate.com article. The Department of Labor offers grants to help young and dislocated workers transition into "green" jobs, the Bankrate.com article noted. American workers who have lost their jobs to overseas competition might consider a Trade Adjustment Assistance program that provides paid training for technical colleges and four-year institutions, according to the Bankrate.com report.
Large corporations, non-profit organizations and community and civic groups also offer grants, scholarships and fellowships to help pay for online school tuition. These forms of tuition assistance to help with distance learning college typically don't have to be repaid. Students can also apply for loans for online education after other forms of financial assistance are considered.
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