VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS
It's important that students understand all of the options that one has after high school. Going the Vocational route may be the right opportunity for you. But first, let's understand the difference between Vocational, Tech, and Trade Schools.
Vocational School
A “vocational school” can be thought of as an umbrella term for either trade or tech schools. Many institutions refer to the result of programs from either as a specialized trade certification or “vocational degree”. Vocational school programs prepare students for immediate entry into their field or into a stepping-stone position to enter that field within just a year or two.
Tech Schools
A technical school usually refers to an institution that offers associate’s degrees and certain certifications that are necessary to enter technical job fields. Unlike four-year colleges and universities, these programs can often be completed in just 1-2 years and for half the typical tuition. Students also don’t spend the first half of their program learning broad “core curriculum” knowledge. Instead, they start off learning applied knowledge and skills that directly translate to their chosen career field.Students who go to technical schools may still need to complete a training program, apprentice program, or an entry level position before they can work in career positions that allow them to employ the full range of skills they learned. However, this is not always true, as some associate’s degrees and technical certifications allow a graduate to begin working immediately.
Trade School
Merriam-Webster defines a trade school as: “a secondary school teaching the skilled trades.” Generally speaking, these schools tend to focus on hands-on careers that require a base level certification or a specific number of on-the-job supervised hours to enter. They can be thought of as more labor-focused industries: auto mechanics, electricians, carpenters, and medical assistants.Trade schools tend to have much more “hands-on” programs of study. A technical school, on the other hand, may have more classroom lectures and simulated job training. However, some trade schools teach tech school-style courses and have many of the same programs, so the difference is not always obvious.
CET’s hands-on programs more closely mirror a trade school curriculum. Graduates of our career training programs receive a certificate for specialized trade training that indicates the skills, experience, and examination-tested knowledge they have required. These certificates position them for immediate job assignments in their new field, or they can choose to pursue more advanced certification and training to build off their accomplishments.
Vocational School
A “vocational school” can be thought of as an umbrella term for either trade or tech schools. Many institutions refer to the result of programs from either as a specialized trade certification or “vocational degree”. Vocational school programs prepare students for immediate entry into their field or into a stepping-stone position to enter that field within just a year or two.
Tech Schools
A technical school usually refers to an institution that offers associate’s degrees and certain certifications that are necessary to enter technical job fields. Unlike four-year colleges and universities, these programs can often be completed in just 1-2 years and for half the typical tuition. Students also don’t spend the first half of their program learning broad “core curriculum” knowledge. Instead, they start off learning applied knowledge and skills that directly translate to their chosen career field.Students who go to technical schools may still need to complete a training program, apprentice program, or an entry level position before they can work in career positions that allow them to employ the full range of skills they learned. However, this is not always true, as some associate’s degrees and technical certifications allow a graduate to begin working immediately.
Trade School
Merriam-Webster defines a trade school as: “a secondary school teaching the skilled trades.” Generally speaking, these schools tend to focus on hands-on careers that require a base level certification or a specific number of on-the-job supervised hours to enter. They can be thought of as more labor-focused industries: auto mechanics, electricians, carpenters, and medical assistants.Trade schools tend to have much more “hands-on” programs of study. A technical school, on the other hand, may have more classroom lectures and simulated job training. However, some trade schools teach tech school-style courses and have many of the same programs, so the difference is not always obvious.
CET’s hands-on programs more closely mirror a trade school curriculum. Graduates of our career training programs receive a certificate for specialized trade training that indicates the skills, experience, and examination-tested knowledge they have required. These certificates position them for immediate job assignments in their new field, or they can choose to pursue more advanced certification and training to build off their accomplishments.