Is vocational school a good idea?

fogcity
Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:16:16 +0000

Traditional colleges and a general education is not pragmatic for everyone, and especially not if you are in fact considering a trade. So examples are: automobile or airplane mechanic, computer technician, nurse assistant, real estate broker and draftsman. In many of these trades there’s an associated license and a qualifying exam. The courses are focused and pragmatic. If this is the spirit of your question, then vocational/trade schools are the way to go.

If your interest is not so focused, and if you are also looking for knowledge to eventually run a business then a 4-year college program may be a start. The challenge with the general college approach is that it is unlikely to prepare you for the trade itself. It serves more to prepare you for learning the trade, and that’s not always the best option. You’ll want to complement a general college education program with intern/part-time work or as an apprentice in the area of trade that interests you.