<p>If you don't major in engineering/business/econ/science/math or go pre-health/law is it better off going to vocational/trade school instead of going to college?</p>
<p>It is best to pursue things that interest you, that really pique your interest. If you are academically inclined will you find satisfaction in a career working with your hands? If you are mechanically inclined would you really do well in a more academic environment? Of course, many do both one after the other. Learn a trade and then learn the skills needed to run your own business.</p>
<p>Just my opinion but I think most succesful business people find some element of joy/satisfaction in their days work.</p>
<p>It depends. Do you have a particular vocation you like, that has decent earning prospects?</p>
<p>What would your career interests/prospects be with another major in college? Aside from there being career oriented majors you did not mention, some people major in liberal arts areas and go on to successful careers in human resources, sales, etc, etc. </p>
<p>What is your financial situation, what are the costs of the vocational and college programs you are considering. How much do you value any broader (IE non career) educational benefits of college?</p>
<p>I think that really depends on what your career interests are. My S is currently studying engineering but due to his Asperger’s we really debated whether he should go into engineering or perhaps study engineering technology instead. He’s clearly bright enough for engineering but is more hands on and not into academics so I wasn’t sure he could even make it through an engineering program, and although he could easily handle more routine/repetitive type engineering tasks (testing, lab work etc) even he was not sure about how he would do in a more demanding position that might require more design or creativity. Since he was really interested in chemical engineering and there are not many technology programs for this, he decided to give engineering a shot. He still has one more yr left so the jury is still out on where he will end up, and he could easily end up in a more engineering technology-type job, but at least with the degree he will have more flexibility to move up or do other things if he proves himself capable.</p>
<p>BTW, there are several 4-yr Engineering Technology degree programs around at traditional colleges as well as 2 and 3 yr programs, so that could be an option if you still want the full 4-yr “college experience”. Also here’s a link to a nice site that provides a lot of info on different careers in science, engineering, technology, math, etc</p>
<p>[Sloan</a> Career Cornerstone Center: Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math & Healthcare](<a href=“http://www.careercornerstone.org/]Sloan”>http://www.careercornerstone.org/)</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Not automatically. If you study English or American studies or comparative literature or medevial studies, it’s not automatically better or worse for a particular person than if you go to vocational school, which seems to be what you’re asking. </p>
<p>One thing that is better though is that a B.A. in almost any discipline can be applied to a wide variety of jobs in a wide variety of fields. Whereas if you have vocational training as a plumber/electrician/dental assistant/whatever you’re only going to be equipped to do that vocation. Which is fine if that’s what you want to do, but not always practical these days when the job market is looking for people with skills that can be applied to a wide variety of jobs. Should the need for electricians decline, you can’t really go out and find other work if your only training is being a master electrician. However, should you be an English major, strong communications skills backed up by a B.A. can take you whereever you want them to go. </p>
<p>Still, if being an electrician or a dental hygienist makes you happy or if it’s hte best avenue available to you for financial security, then by all means, go for it.</p>
<p>Agree with everyone. You should pursue what interests you. Also keep in mind that you can go to college at any point at any time. If you just are thinking you need a break after high school or want to work or try a vocational training course…just do it. If you are not happy then you can go to college. Colleges, especially the public colleges have kids and adults of all ages. Somtimes people go into a vocation and then start a business and at that point decide it would best to have a college degree to supplement their credentials. A very, very successful friend of my husbands finished his college degree at 50…alongside his son. Another friend of my husband owned a small construction company but decided he wan’t to be a planner in our town and went to college to get a degree in urban planning. Many paths so do not think the decision you make today is the only decision you can make along the way.</p>
<p>Be wary of the “for profit” vocational schools that advertise heavily. They overpromise and overcharge. So I hope you don’t mean one of them when you are talking about vocational school.</p>
<p>Thank you for weighing in with that, BrownParent.</p>
<p>We live on the gulf coast and have a vocational school funded by the local oil companies. It’s a two year program, competitive to get into and free. The graduates go onto excellent jobs with good salaries, benefits and they are relatively stable jobs. For young people who know they want to do that work, it’s a very good choice. That’s the kind of vocational education that I think is well worth pursuing.</p>
<p>That’s very nice to hear about pugmadkate, I wish there were more schools like that and more access to info about them.</p>
<p>I hear a lot of sad stories about how ppl take out huge loans for their college education and graduate with no job or a low paying job. At least in vocational school, you are given a trade skill that will guarantee you a job after graduation. Plus I find vocational school a whole lot cheaper than a university education. Community colleges also offer vocational education too and for a dirt cheap price. </p>
<p>Would it be smart to do vocational training, work, and then finally go to college once you know exactly what you want to do?</p>
<p>I see a lot of people are being pushed into going to college because society demands it and wondering if it is right thing to do?</p>
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<p>Yes, you are absolutely correct. You can also go to your local community college and take classes and transfer to a college or univeristy after a year or two if you find your interests heading in that direction. It a great way to explore vocational education or general college academics that would lead to a transfer. Many, many students opt for this path. If you have a community college near you I would go talk to them about all your options. They will help you put a plan together.</p>
<p>I participate in a grants program that funds vocational programs (programs, not individual students). I’ve been rather shocked at some of them. Some have strong linkages with apprenticeship programs with various trades unions (electricians, plumbers), others might have good linkages with car dealers (auto mechanics), or landscape firms/golf course (irrigation management). The schools with these strong connections seem to get their students placed into coop positions and their graduates placed into decently paying jobs. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, there are a number of others – the majority of the private vocational schools as well as a good chunk of the public vocational programs that have programs that are very poorly matched with employer hiring interests, or that train students for very low-paying jobs (virtually all of the beauty colleges). It just pains me to see a teenage single mom in a vocational course for a cosmetology license that is likely to result, at best, in a $10-12 an hour job with no benefits and limited access to full-time work, or culinary positions that barely pay minimum wage. Seeing all of the kids paying big bucks to the private technical colleges to learn computer repair and maintenance when there are already many, many graduates in these fields out there without jobs is also perturbing. </p>
<p>Vocational school can be a great thing, if it is the right program at the right price. But is is definitely a “buyer beware” situation. Do work on your own to validate the job placement, and talk to likely employers ahead of time about whether they have recently hired people from this specific program, and ask what they think of it.</p>
<p>“At least in vocational school, you are given a trade skill that will guarantee you a job after graduation”</p>
<p>This statement is not true at all.</p>
<p>Franks, there is a college that is part of the U of Wisconsin system called Stout. It is different in that your bachelors degree is made up of part tech and part traditional college work. Look at the business degree as an example. <a href=“http://www.stout.edu%5B/url%5D”>www.stout.edu</a></p>