Vocational Education

¶ … vocational education in high school. The review discusses all types of vocational education including agriculture, industrial arts, business, and family & consumer sciences. This paper includes opinions from students, administrators, counselors, parents, and vocational teachers The importance of vocational education at the high school level has been a controversial topic for several years.

The mindset that all high school students must aspire to attend four-year universities has taken hold and the school of thought for years was that any student not interested in such an endeavor was doomed to flip hamburgers for the rest of their adult life (Weisentein, 1991). In recent years this idea has been challenged and today high schools across the nation are recognizing the importance of a solid vocational education for their students who will not be attending university after graduation.

The vocational education today is more than the woodshop courses of yesteryear. Today they include things such as agriculture, industry, arts, business and family or consumer sciences (Greenan, 1983). The wide range of availability of paths for vocational education has provided students with a solid and acceptable option following their high school term.

Because of the shift in the importance placed on vocational education many studies have been conducted to determine the value and importance of offering such programs at the high school level, and the consensus is that the programs provide a solid and fulfilling alternative to a lifestyle outside of pursuing a university degree. One recent study determined that the offering of vocational education at the high school level results in a significantly reduced drop out rate among 11th and 12th graders.

"A number of studies conducted between 1985 and 1993 specifically examined the relationship between vocational education programs and adult employment opportunities for students with mild disabilities. A significant relationship was found between taking vocational classes or having a job while still enrolled in high school and postschool employment rates (Evers, 1996)." Further studies presented evidence that this continued outside of the special needs students. In 1990 the federal government developed something called the Tech-Prep Act. This act provided for the reorganization of vocational programs in schools.

Today vocational education provides the academics as well as the vocational skills needed to move into the field after high school (Evers, 1996)." Of primary importance is the requirement that vocational programs deliver academic and job-related information to students in curricula that are clearly related to the workplace. In other words, class work must be occupationally oriented.

In addition, the secondary phase of Tech-Prep includes a core of required competencies in mathematics, science, communication, and technology (Evers, 1996)." Vocational education in high school provide students with competence in skills they will need in the workforce. The programs provide the basic skills in reading, math, listening and speaking. This study measured the ability to prepare high school students for the workforce during their high school career.

This published study confirmed that those who are provided with vocational education before graduation go on to productive and profitable positions more often than those who do not get vocational education and choose not to go to university. Another study examined various vocational programs at high school level. One such program, called BOOTS, allows the student to take a series of tests to determine which vocational program is best suited to their strengths and talents.

"Project BOOTS is just one example of the larger technological revolution occurring at Stafford County Public Schools, which has used a $3 million county bond issue to thrust itself into the Information Superhighway's passing lane (Heim, 1995)." The various vocational opportunities are provided for including agriculture, industrial and consumer services and the students are prepared for immediate work or entry into a certification program following graduation (Marder, 1992). The importance of vocational education in high school has been established by the literature.

Students can learn to own and operate a farm, work in industrial fields, become plumbers, electricians or carpet layers. The importance of providing academic and skill set education in high school has been demonstrated by many studies. The students who do not wish to go to college will be able to support themselves and their families through the vocation they chose in high school.

This benefits not only the student and their future families but also society in general by reducing the chance of welfare claims, under employed and underpaid heads of households and other risk factors that used to be present without vocational training in high school. Weisenstein, G.R., Stowitschek, J.J., & Affleck, J.Q.(1991). Integrating students enrolled in special education into vocational education. Career.