Vocational Jobs and Training

Why Should You Pick a Vocational Career Path?

Whether you are just starting out in your career or you are going back to school to pursue a career change, vocational careers, will get you working and earning money more quickly. These career paths involve completing an associate’s degree and sometimes certification.

Many education programs for vocational careers qualify you more quickly for an entry-level job than a four-year degree. Advancement opportunities are often available once you gain work experience. You may also consider continuing your education and certifications while you work, which will provide you additional advancement opportunities.

The cost of education is more affordable in vocational careers that involve an associate’s degree, not only because you have a regular paycheck coming in, but because many hiring businesses and institutions provide at least partial reimbursement (usually around one-third) for education expenses. Others may cover their employees’ costs for re-certification related to the work they perform.

Individuals may begin a coursework towards vocational careers as early as high school. Some high schools provide the training within school curriculum, or students can enroll in college-level courses for part of the school day. Students who are put on this track may not be expected to pursue a four-year degree, or family circumstances require them to work as soon as they turn 18. Other students may have been home-schooled throughout their elementary and secondary education at an accelerated pace, leaving them enough time to pursue vocational coursework before they graduate. The certification they receive then can be a means to provide employment later on when they pursue a four-year degree.

Because of the economic recession, a growing number of individuals who pursue a vocational career path are those who seek to change careers. These individuals may have experienced lay-offs, and as they re-enter the job market, they find that they are no longer qualified to get a job that will pay them the salary they need. This happens for a number of reasons. Getting a job has become more competitive in many industries where companies are downsizing the number of jobs they have for a particular field. As a result, only the most qualified are getting the jobs. Advances in technology are another reason why workers need to update their skill sets.

Salary in a Vocational Career: What to Expect…

Although we often choose a job based on a number of factors, such as an aptitude for working with numbers, a natural attention to detail or an interest in serving people, salary is a major factor in selecting any career path.

The average income for an individual with an associate’s degree is $32,840 annually, according to the U.S. Census. We use annual salary figures on this site, but to break that down to an hourly figure, divide by 52 weeks and then by 40 hours. Our income range data was obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the standard in labor-related statistics in the United States. Beyond qualifications and experience of workers, salary within a specific job classification will vary depending on region as well as whether you pursue a job in a rural versus an urban location. Jobs in the city generally pay higher than jobs in the country, and this is because the cost of living is higher in the city. Cost of living indexes such as those provided by Salary.com or CNN Money will provide more specific comparisons from city to city. For example, some of the most expensive places to live in the United States are New York City and San Francisco, but if you lived there, you would likely have a salary to match your expenses.

For Job Availability for a Vocational Career: What To Look Forward To:

Certain industries anticipate growth over the next five, 10 or 20 years, while others may decline. Job availability is influenced by a number of factors, such as advancements in technology which may automate tasks that presently need to be completed by a human being. For example, some entry-level jobs in computer programming are getting outsourced to countries such as India or China. On the other hand, other jobs are increasing in demand. This is true of any job in the medical field which will be meeting the needs of the aging baby boomers over the next few decades.

Advancement Potential within a Vocational Career: What To Prepare For…

Certain industries have more opportunities for advancement than others with just an associate’s degree. Job qualifications that have additional levels of certification or opportunities to specialize within a particular niche provide a better initial investment because of the ability you will have to build upon your initial education. Some job classifications, such as a computer programmer, require a bachelor’s degree for advancement, often in addition to work experience. However, we considered the ability to build upon your existing skills as a factor in this criterium.