Vocational Education is the education that prepares students with skills that make them employable for certain specific jobs. Traditionally vocational education was looked at in fields such as artisans, craftsmen, mechanics, technicians, etc. Industrial Training Institute (ITI) was one of the pioneer institutes for vocational education. In today’s era, vocational courses have evolved. Demand for vocational training has increased for job-oriented areas such as Physiotherapy, Digital Marketing, Beautician, Photography, Animation, Fashion Design, Hotel Management, etc. The key characteristic of such courses is that they are designed with specific job roles in mind.
Vocational schools such as ITI were typically seen as standalone institutions awarding diplomas or degrees. Students used to typically pursue such vocational courses post finishing school. However, in recent times, companies have expressed an increasing inclination to recruit human resources as early as possible, sometimes immediately after class XII. With this in mind, school education systems and boards such as CBSE have started including vocational courses within the ambit of school education itself. It serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it gives students exposure to various career options early. This helps them in making a more informed decision regarding their future career choices. Second, it helps the industry recruit suitable candidates early without investing much in their basic training. There are many benefits offered by vocational courses. This blog talks about some of them.
Improves employability
By definition, vocational courses are designed keeping a specific job field in mind. Going through vocational courses can help students enhance their employability in their field of interest. E.g., going through vocational training in Hotel Management can help a student apply for and land jobs in the hotel industry. Our education system, while equips us with a lot of useful knowledge but does not prepare us for any job per se. Hence, companies will hesitate to hire class XII pass students if they have not gone through any vocational courses. Even if they hire, unskilled freshers typically tend to struggle when they join the industry. The companies then need to shell out money to train the freshers. In many cases, this skill gap leads to a lot of stress and anxiety among fresh students entering corporate lives. Vocational education can help make this much easier for both the recruiters and the fresh hires. Having gone through vocational training, the fresh hires will be productive on day one as they have already learnt the ropes during training.
Also Read: Hard skills for students: what they are and how to develop them
Enhances Practical Knowledge
A significant focus of school education is on theory. Even practical classes are largely based on lab applications of theoretical concepts. Vocational courses give students valuable and hands-on exposure to the real-world applications of things they may or may not have learnt in school. Vocational training helps students think about a variety of practical aspects and applications of their education. Vocational education can help students gain deeper context into their learning by being able to relate what is taught in class to their practical applications.
Helps in career decisions
Education boards such as CBSE have started giving students early exposure to a wide variety of vocational courses. Students can go through those courses and choose those that interest them. Students go through these courses without actually committing to a career field. This helps students in choosing a career that suits their skills and interests. For example, instead of opting for a graduation course in Fashion Design and later realising that they do not find it interesting, it is better to experiment with it during school and take an early call. CBSE board offers vocational courses in a wide variety of fields for students to experiment and choose from.
Economic Advantage
For families limited in means, vocational courses are a blessing in disguise. Vocational training generates early opportunities for earning. Students can even earn while pursuing their higher education in parallel. This way they could effectively support their families through additional income streams. Vocational courses can be a blessing in disguise for students from lower-income families who are looking to start an income as early as possible.
Reduces dropout rate
Lack of income is one of the primary reasons for students from low-income families dropping out of school. Vocational courses can help this problem of dropouts by being the source of income augmentation for such families. Vocational courses can significantly help in reducing school dropout rates.
Boosts Confidence
Getting attached to a vocation, leading to income generation can be a big boost to one’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Earning an income establishes self-worth. Even if they do not immediately start earning, just the fact that they are employable after completing vocational training is a big confidence boost in itself. Knowing that they are now capable of supporting their family financially can be a big confidence booster to students, especially those coming from low-income backgrounds.
Professional Networking
While attending vocational training students get an opportunity to network with other like-minded folks who are also interested in the same vocation. This then becomes a key source of peer learning for them. These networking opportunities can also be a key source of future employment for the students through employee referrals and recommendation channels. Networking has been widely accepted as an imperative for professional success. Vocational schools can help students build significant networks even before they embark upon their corporate life. These networks can be long-lasting and can be of great help throughout their professional journey.
Also Read: Why is Education Important and What is the Purpose of Education
Differentiating Factor
Having a vocational course certification can act as a significant competitive advantage for students passing out of class XII. Irrespective of whether they want to pursue a job or wish to go for further education. A vocational training certificate acts as a signal to recruiters or admission committees that the student has developed practical skills along with the regular theoretical skills which most students anyway possess. Students who have gone through vocational training usually have an advantage as compared to those who have not gone through such courses.
At EuroSchool we provide great emphasis to developing vocational skills among our students. Our students are exposed to a wide variety of vocational training and exploratory programs conducted by industry experts. This ensures that EuroSchool students are much better positioned to take on the rigour of the industrial world.
