Vocational school, also commonly called trade school, is a form of higher-level education that can be appealing to individuals who don’t feel as though traditional college is a good fit for them. Vocational education is typically shorter and less expensive than earning a college degree, and it provides job-specific training for its students. While you are the only person who will ever truly know what style of education is right for you and your career goals, there are some characteristics that successful trade school students usually possess. If more than one of these traits apply to you, vocational school may be the right choice for your future.
You learn by doing.
Learning from books or lectures never kept your attention very well in school, and you may not have made the best grades in those subjects because you found hands-on activities more interesting and mentally stimulating. Vocational school emphasizes this type of kinesthetic learning, so you’re more likely to excel in this environment and the job market that comes afterwards.
You have a plan.
You don’t have to have a set career plan when you enroll in a four-year college because you have to take general education classes anyway - so you have time to figure out what you’re interested in. Trade school students, however, need to at least have a specific career field in mind before they begin training. Have you always wanted to be a veterinary technician? Here, you can do it without being forced to take any generalized classes you won’t ever use.
You need flexibility.
Many vocational schools will work with you if you need to have a part-time or full-time job to pay the bills for yourself and possibly your family. There will probably be many other students in the same situation as you in vocational school, so you’ll have other people you can relate to and work with to achieve your common goal.
You want to start your career sooner.
Earning a bachelor’s degree alone usually takes about four years, and earning a postgraduate degree takes at least another year, but typically more. Vocational programs, however, can be as short as six months. The longest programs are generally only two years long, so you won’t have to wait very long to finish school and get a headstart on your career.
You’re willing to take action.
College students are infamous for barely scraping by in classes they don’t care about and are thrilled when they don’t have homework to do. College professors guide almost all of the learning, but at vocational school, students are expected to help design their own training. If you want to succeed in your chosen field and you like the thought of taking ownership of your schooling, this type of education may be for you!
