Vocational Degree
Learn the Basics About Earning a Vocational Degree
Vocational education is one of the most direct routes to a rewarding career. It emphasizes the knowledge and skills you need for a specific trade or professional role. If you’re considering earning a vocational degree, there are a few things you need to know in order to make the best decision.
Vocational training focuses on applying the skills learned right away, with little or no general education courses involved. You’ll gain hands-on experience as you work through a vocational degree program, giving you a tangible link between theory and the real world. In the past, these programs were limited to areas such as welding, carpentry, and automotive repair. Today, you can receive vocational training in diverse fields such as:
- Property management
- Retail training
- Paralegal
- Computer network management
- Customer care
The best-paying careers you can pursue with a vocational degree include dental hygienist, radiation therapist, commercial pilot, electrician, and web developer. You can also become a police officer, firefighter, personal trainer, or plumber through vocational training. These career possibilities are only scratching the surface, as there are many rewarding and in-demand professions you can enter with a vocational degree.
Earning a vocational degree will give you an edge in the job market because it verifies your knowledge and practical experience. You’ll have more confidence going into a job interview when you’re equipped with vocational training.
Types of Vocational Schools and Training
Vocational degrees can be classified as certificates, diplomas, or even associates degrees. You can receive training in your chosen field at community colleges, technical or trade schools, and career colleges. Wherever you decide to pursue vocational training, you can be sure that you’ll receive hands-on guidance that will prepare you to thrive in your chosen industry.
Education requirements for most vocational programs are modest, so it’s easier to get started than it would be in a university setting. The fact that you don’t have to take much in the way of general education courses means you can dig in right away and make progress toward your desired career.
Finding the Right Vocational Program
There are a few key things to consider as you evaluate your options for earning a vocational degree. With respect to both the school and the program itself, you need to evaluate how these things align with your unique learning needs:
- Amount of Hands-On Training: This is one of the strengths of vocational training, but some programs provide more hands-on guidance than others. Be sure to consider how much classroom learning is involved versus real-world experience.
- Class Size: It’s always important to consider how much personal attention you’ll receive in any education program. Especially for the most technical careers, you need to find a program with customized training options.
- Program Credentials: Not every vocational training program is fully accredited, so make sure you understand the school’s reputation in your chosen field. This is especially important if your career goals require licensure.
You have a lot to consider when weighing vocational degree programs. When you find the right one and complete it, you’ll be well prepared for a fulfilling career.
FIND COLLEGES FOR VOCATIONAL DEGREE
7 schools found
Centura College
Type: Private For-Profit
Institution Level: Between 2 and 4 years
Location:4455 South Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Centura College, with campus locations in Virginia, and South Carolina, is dedicated to helping students gain the skills and attitudes necessary to succeed. Drawing from over 30 years of career school experience, we are committed to the education and personal enrichment of each student. Whether you are a recent high school graduate just starting out, planning to return to the workplace in a new career field, or a member of our Armed Forces preparing to enter the civilian workforce, Centura College can get you the training you need quickly. At Centura College, it's all about the training!
Davenport University
Type: Private Non-Profit
Institution Level: Between 2 and 4 years
Location:6191 Kraft Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512
Founded in 1866, Davenport is a private, non-profit university with campuses across Michigan and online serving nearly 7,500 students. Davenport provides high academic quality, small class sizes, conveniently located campuses, faculty with real-world experience and more than 80 dynamic undergraduate and graduate programs addressing in-demand careers.
Dawn Career Institute
Type: Private For-Profit
Institution Level: Less than 2 years
Location:252 Chapman Rd, Newark, DE 19702
Dawn Career Institute is a private post-secondary institution of higher education serving Delaware, south-central and south-eastern Pennsylvania, and northern Maryland. The institute offers both campus-based and online career-focused diploma programs, leading to professional certifications and licenses in a variety of healthcare and wellness fields.
DCI was established in 1976 as Dawn Aeronautics by Hollis C. and Mary-Fran Anglin, along with their 3 children, Cheryl Zapata, and Scott and Stuart Anglin. This family-owned and operated full-service aviation center provided aircraft sales, maintenance, charters and international flight training. In 1993 the aviation business was sold, and the school changed its focus to the health and wellness fields. The institute's name was changed to Dawn Training Institute, and was located at 120 Old Churchman's Road in New Castle, DE. The first program was Health Insurance Claims Examiner, followed by Medical Billing/Health Claim Specialist and Therapeutic Massage Practitioner in 1997, and Medical Administrative Specialist in 1999.
Porter and Chester Institute
Type: Private For-Profit
Institution Level: Less than 2 years
Location:670 Lordship Blvd, Stratford, CT 06615
Porter and Chester Institute’s career schools in Connecticut and Massachusetts can give you the technical training you need to become a skilled employee in today’s competitive workforce. Whether you choose to pursue a career in automotive, computers, cosmetology, trades or healthcare, our career programs can provide you with the tools and training you need to develop the skills employers are looking for. Our Educational Funding Specialists are ready to help you explore all the options available to you for financing your career training at PCI. With flexible class schedules, now is the time to take the first step toward a new career! Get started today!
Southern New Hampshire University
Type: Private Non-Profit
Institution Level: Between 2 and 4 years
Location:2500 North River Rd Manchester NH 03106
Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 3,000 on-campus students and over 60,000 online students, making us one of the fastest-growing universities in the country. Founded in 1932, we’ve been relentlessly reinventing higher education ever since and have gained national recognition for our dedication to helping students transform their lives and the lives of those around them.
We’re proud to provide affordable, accessible education that students can pursue on our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH, over our innovative online platform or at our regional centers in Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem, NH, and Brunswick, ME.
SNHU has earned the GetEducated.com Best Buy and Best of Business – Best Online Degree awards and is consistently ranked as a top Military Friendly® School by G.I Jobs®.
Wichita Technical Institute
Type: Private For-Profit
Institution Level: Less than 2 years
Location:2051 S Meridian Ave, Wichita, KS 67213
WTI was founded with YOU in mind, and nearly six decades later, continues to provide students with superior training for today’s in-demand careers. With five campuses throughout the Midwest, WTI has the facilities and the network to give you the convenience and the flexibility you need to make sure nothing stands in the way of the education you deserve.
WTI provides top-notch instructors, the latest technology, and curriculums designed with the market’s evolving needs in mind. Plus, WTI stands committed to a focus on hands-on training, which means you’ll learn by doing. It’s a simple concept with highly marketable results. WTI’s goal, and the goal of its experienced instructors, is to give you the ability to succeed from day one – and that’s a trait that all employers crave.
YTI Career Institute
Type: Private For-Profit
Institution Level: Less than 2 years
Location:3050 Hempland Rd, Lancaster, PA 17601
YTI Career Institute's industry-modeled curricula, qualified instructors direct from the field, and facilities that mirror the workplace are all designed to prepare graduates to begin careers in healthcare, skilled trades, computers, business, criminal justice or culinary arts.
