When plumbing goes bad, hair needs cutting, or the car goes on the fritz, who is going to get the call? Most people will answer “the plumber, the stylist, or the auto repair place down the road at Wal-Mart.” That answer is mostly correct. Although, the focus needs to be on how those people got where they are today. These people, who do so much work for us every single day, need to get some consideration. In most cases they would have gone to a vocational high school or technical college. These are special schools in which students learn the exact skills they need to complete their desired career in an accelerated period of time. More people should be encouraged to go to these schools, because we will need more Blue Collar workers in our future. Students as young as fourteen years of age can enter these vo-tech high schools to start training for their future career (Nolan 4). This may seem young to some parents because the common misconception of these schools is that the student stops traditional education to enter technical classes (Nolan 3). This is a false statement. Any high school student that decides to get into a tech program still has to take all of his or her core classes. At Central Nine in Indianapolis, the students have to take a half day at their normal high school. They still have to take their English, math, science and all the other required courses for them to graduate with their class. Then the second half of the day is spent taking their vocational classes at the Central Nine building learning the skills for their desired career. For far too long, people have regarded vocational schooling as a second class option to a traditional college. Some believe that only under achievers will attend this type of school... ... middle of paper ... ...ast consider them. On the other hand, we do not need to force this concept down the throats of these nice people who are dead set on a four-year college. Vocational schooling is not for everyone. Some people are just not cut out to do manual labor. That is okay though, we still need the lawyers and bankers in our world. Encouragement is a common word throughout this paper. The best thing that can be done about the problem of dwindling enrollment in technical college is to encourage people considering this schooling. Encourage people to look into this type of education, because we do need more Blue Collar workers in our future. Encourage current or past students to talk about their experiences in tech schools with people who are confused about what they want to do in their life. Encourage them that this option is NOT for under achievers, but for over achievers.
There is no need for everyone to get a college degree when they can be trained in technologies and trades that can offer a job and a paycheck. America still needs manufacturing technicians, mechanics, and carpenters. Without these key workers America would not be able to function properly. The USA needs to start encouraging its citizens to go to trade schools because that is where the jobs that make good money are. A college degree used to be the only way to get a good paying job but times have changed and getting vocational training from a trade school is the best option many people have for earning a living.
Secondary education rises faster in price than auto insurance. Yet, secondary education is almost required in the United States to succeed. Yes, there are hundreds of people in the United States that have been successful without a college degree, but they are outliers. Students should choose not to go to college based on outliers, but go to college based on the fact thousands have succeeded because of their college degrees. It is more important then ever to know what makes a college great if students are going to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars over four
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a veterinarian, but as I grew up and experienced new things, that changed. I was lucky that I discovered this before I went to college, but others aren’t so lucky. Many people spend thousands of dollars on a college degree only to discover later on that they want to change careers. Rather than spend a small fortune and years of time getting a new degree, people can go to a vocational or technical school. These schools are exactly what the people in this country need to get the jobs they deserve. Some of the best schools in this country are technical schools, and we need to stop telling our kids that a traditional college is the only way to a successful career. Although
Career and technical education courses are intended to prepare high school students to enter the work force in a skilled trade. It equips the students with the experience and education necessary to succeed in an average skill level job while maintaining the student’s interest. In an article that focuses on an aviation CTE program, a “senior policy analyst at the Morrison Institute, said that Career and Technical Education provides another opportunity for students who struggle in high school.” The assumption is that students who struggle in high school presumably do not want another four years of education to attain a bachelor’s degree. Until recently, schools have been excessively geared towards college readiness. The dogma was elementary school, high school, college, without exception. With this “one size fits all” education system in place, a different education course had to evolve. CTE courses offer a break from the tedious grind by introducing career readiness as an alternative. In place of the four years in a college, CTE programs gives student...
Winterburn, P. "Learning to Trust. On the Treasure Coast, Tech Prep Proves a Trove for Educators Long Divided." Vocational Education Journal 70, no. 4 (April 1995): 28-29, 44.
In the United States, the history of Career and Technical Education evolved within four major periods. First, the Awakening period which began in 1776-1826, when the right to a free public education was expressed. During this era, educational opportunities in labor and industrial education were being demanded. The rising working class began to press for an education that were more appropriate for their labor and industry’s needs (Awakening 1776-1826, 1976). Even Benjamin Franklin who represented the Awakening middle class was on board with the rise of technical and vocational education which were taught primarily by private masters or contracted apprenticeships (Cohen, 1976).
no excitement. regardless of what the teacher says, this is not a new challenge"(158). Rose shows how he felt abut his early high school as his teacher were supposed to be teaching exciting subject, but ruin subject by just reading out from the book. making it harder for any to really pay attention in class. " No wonder how so many student finally attribute their difficulties to something inborn, organic: That part of my brain just doesn 't work"(158). Rose state that student 's in the vocational education program having already lost interest in classes they try so hard to contemplate with, instead they decide to move on and blame their inability to learn for the reason they can 't understand what the teacher is teaching them. "They open their textbook and see once again the familiar and impenetrable formulas and diagrams and terms that have stumped them for years"(157). From the beginning of their high year the student in the vocational educational program were set to fail. The school treated them as experiment by placing them into class room with inexperience teacher or not caring teacher. where they have to either decided to go with what the school says or try as best they can to well in the
If more people went to college, and less went the vocational route, jobs will take a momentous hit. Today, companies will not even touch an application that does not include a Bachelor’s Degree; even if the Bachelor’s Degree has nothing to do with the job being applied for. Attention is not given to whether the hopeful applicant qualifies for the job; all that matters is that the applicant has a Bachelor’s degree. Murray best sums up the American job market when he says, “Employers do not value what the student learned, just that the student has a degree” (Murray). However, if less people obtain a Bachelor’s Degree, employers will be forced to base applicants on their skills, and abilities. Furthermore, important vocational jobs that lie vacant will be filled. Good electricians, carpenters, and construction workers will always be in
America’s future lies in the youth and building an educated youth that is interested in their career would benefit society. Rising college tuition is hurting the higher education of America. As more financial pressure is placed on these kids, the more they aren’t able to focus on their goals and dreams. Although inflation is a problem, the students who are able to graduate will benefit society if they worry more about their job. They should be able to satisfy their duty in society and a rise in college tuition will hinder that vision substantially.
Murray, Charles. ""What's Wrong with Vocational School?"." Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. 631-634. Print.
The teachers in the vocational program should bring the students up and make them a better student and hopefully can escape the vocational program and join other students in high school or
Education is one of the most important factors to any person’s success in their lifetime, but is higher education really worth it? The answer is found in the article “America’s Most Overrated Product: The Bachelor’s Degree.” Written by Marty Nemko who was most likely inspired to write this because of his experience as a career counselor. In this article Nemko addresses the parents of potential college students to inform them the truth about college’s being money hungry businesses. He brings fourth multiple examples of why bachelor degrees are overrated and how colleges are not being held to a high enough standard. Additionally, he argues that going to college isn’t even necessary for success, and that many of the skills needed to succeed in the workplace are already in the successful students not just taught at some college. The text as a whole reveals the ugly truth that colleges are more focused on making money than actually helping their students succeed and because of this fact parents should take action to protect their students from being harmed in the process.
Some people may ask are they going back to school when you already have a job. Little do people know a high school diploma is not enough to be able live in middle class society anymore. Jobs like McDonalds’ and Wal-mart you only need a high school diploma but to work in other fields you will need a higher form of a degree and that’s where college comes in. Majority of people go to college to get their degree so they can have a career. According the Bureau of labor statistics, show that 27 percent of jobs in the United States requires a college degree which is almost half of worker that has an associate degree or higher (U.S Census Bureau). The journalist Anthony Carnevale, Nicole Smith and Jeff Strohl reports on “PBS New Hour, Too many College grads? Or too few” In their study of “The Undereducated American” they stated if you increase the overall number of college graduates then the workforce with bachelor’s and graduate degrees will also increase. With both of those findings being increase less people will have to struggle to find a job in the field that they want to be in. On the other side of the spectrum, just having a high school diploma can get you job but to enlarge your salary you would have to move up in the company in a different way if you don’t have a college degree. For example at McDonalds it takes about 2 to 3 years before you move up a level in the fast food chain. It also takes a year before you can
College preparation is not the only area in which schools are failing students. According to Achieve, Inc. (2005), 39% of high school graduates in the workforce say that they have deficiencies. When asked about being prepared for future jobs, forty-six percent say that they are deficient in the skills needed. These shortcomings in the education system will escalate when in the next 10 years, 80% of job openings will require education or training past the high school level (Achieve, 2010). One third of jobs will require a bachelor’s degree. Lower educational attainment is a national problem. Competing countries now boast more workers with associates degree...
Vocational Education is certainly not a new phenomenon. It has existed in some form or another in Australia schools since formal education began (Skilbeck et al, 1994). Vocational education has always been at the whim of the financial and political climate. In a boom, there is a surge in popularity in order to meet the skills shortages, in an economic crisis it is seen as the best “way out” (Keating, 1998). Since the industrial revolution there have been calls from industry for edu...