Vocational Training - Practical education for career advancement

The intention of vocational training is to equip students with all the pertinent practical knowledge and social skills necessary for them to take on a productive role in the economy, by training for a specific career or trade. Vocational training is considered a fundamental right and has been considered by the most important international legal instruments in the field of human rights. Vocational Training provides an instrument for the promotion of worker employability through the enhancement of human capital and for productivity improvement and competitiveness at the level of the firm or nation.

Vocational training is becoming so marginalized within the development sector that it is rarely talked about, and within international and government agencies the importance of these skills is just being rediscovered. Vocational training should include a wide range of activities, including types of training which would help fit a person for employment, including practical work experience, and vocational guidance. Vocational training can open up new prospects and provide the opportunity to escape unemployment, by offering a secure income and opportunities for advancement. Vocational training focuses on practical applications of skills, and is unconcerned with theory or traditional academic skills.

An advantage of graduates of vocational schools has over informally trained job seekers is that an independent organization certifies that vocational graduates have the skills needed to successfully perform a specific skilled occupation. Many large communities often have separate public schools that students attend full time that provide academic instruction and vocational training to their high school students. These schools commonly use the co-op training program, in which students work part time in the job for which they are preparing. Traditionally, junior high schools and high schools have offered vocational courses such as home economics, wood and metal shop, and auto repair though schools have recently put more emphasis on academics for all students because of new standards based on education reform. Many schools have shifted the emphasis of their programs from the traditional trades to computers and related technologies, while other schools have moved away from vocational training entirely.

Technical and vocational institutions need to have competency to provide qualified training that satisfies both trainees and employers to contribute in developing the economy. Technical schools offer technology-oriented degree programs in a variety of fields including information technology, computer programming, networking, and much more. Technical institutes offer intensive technical training but teach less theory and general education than junior and community colleges.

Vocational training imparts specialized skills and knowledge while instilling social and political attitudes and behavior patterns essential for successful economic activities. Vocational training is can be a launch pad for a career that can lead to participants becoming masters in their field. Vocational training is a must and should be compulsory as it provides the learner with practical knowledge of the theoretical concepts learned in school. Vocational training should be considered as your stepping stone to success.