What are vocational trade schools?

Vocational trade schools, sometimes referred to as trade schools, vocational schools, or vocation and trade schools, are educational institutions that focus on providing students with the skills to perform a particular job. While a student earning a liberal arts degree at a four year college or university may not have any specific career path in mind, someone attending a vocational trade school is likely to be in search of knowledge with immediate practical applications in the workplace. Many vocational trade schools are also linked to an apprenticeship program to provide students with hands-on training as they are working on building their theoretical knowledge of a particular occupation. Traditionally, vocational trade schools focused on preparing students for specific trades such as auto mechanics or welding. Today, however, schools offer a wide variety of programs that incorporate areas such as cosmetology, retail, tourism, and information technology. Vocational trade schools are ...  more