Vocational Skills

Vocational skill is a skill or a set of skills that help a person get a job. These skills are highly in demand and are often not so expensive to train on. They also take lesser time to complete the training. Often, they ready the person with the know-how and the precise skills absolutely required to perform the job to satisfaction and one's best ability.

vocational skills

Vocational skills are a set of skills that help a person to get, perform, and perfect a job. These skills are high in demand and training for these skills is often inexpensive. Vocational skills also take less time to complete the training. They ready the person with the precise skills required to perform the job to satisfaction and one's best ability.

Mary has been laid off from her job as a bank clerk, and her counselor Jake has told her that one option she has is to gain vocational skills. Vocational skills, Jake explains, are practical or firsthand skills that help a person master a trade or a job. Often, vocational skills can be obtained through hands-on experience on the job. However, these skills may also be obtained at a vocational school. A vocational school, also called a trade school, provides technical education to prepare people for work in a trade, craft, or profession.

Vocational skills are a set of skills that help get, perform, and master a job. This technical know-how helps a person get ready for the job market. Vocational education takes lesser time to finish than a traditional college. Vocational education is usually shorter than a traditional four-year college education. This is certainly advantageous as it readies a person for the job market sooner. Hence, if a person is looking to get a job quickly, they must certainly consider getting trained at a vocational school and get some technical know-how in the area of their choice. However, there are some jobs and vocations that mandatorily require a four-year college degree, such as a dentist or a doctor.

Among many advantages, such as taking a shorter time to complete the training and readying the job seeker for the job market is that it provides hands-on training for jobs that are in demand. Vocational jobs are hands-on jobs that require skill and technical training. One of the reasons why vocational training should be considered over a traditional, four-year-old college degree is because it is career-oriented and can help procure both white-collar and blue-collar jobs.

But what is the difference between a vocational school and a traditional college? Well, vocational schools are less expensive compared to traditional colleges, offer focused practical training in one specific area of interest, and offer shorter programs that usually culminate in diplomas or certificates. Keep in mind that even though vocational training is career-oriented, some jobs require a college degree or higher education. For example, you cannot be trained for a career as a doctor at a vocational school. Fortunately, Mary doesn't want to be a doctor, but she still wants to know more about vocational skills before making a career decision.

So, let's explore with Mary the benefits of vocational training. One big perk of vocational training is that it can help Mary obtain a job faster, because vocational workers are generally in high demand. These programs often take relatively little time to complete and are often relatively inexpensive in the larger scope of education. Also, since vocational schools tailor the programs to match what employers are looking for, the rate of job placement after graduation is generally high.

Mary is sold on the idea of a vocational career, but now she needs to explore her options. Jobs that require vocational skills range from the traditional blue collar jobs in which highly skilled personnel work with their hands, to white collar jobs in which formally trained professionals work in an office setting. Let's look at a small sample of the types of vocational careers Mary might pursue.

There is a dental clinic in Mary's neighborhood, so another vocational skill she considers is working as a dental hygienist. At a vocational school, she can learn about the different dental procedures and the proper use of dental tools and equipment. She will have to earn at least an associate degree from a dental hygienist program, but it will qualify her for a job as a dental hygienist or dental assistant in a dental office.

Mary also is interested in computers and another job she is considering is working as a computer technician. Through a vocational school, she can earn a certificate or an associate degree to help her gain expertise and hone her computer skills. In vocational training, she'll also earn vendor-specific certifications, such as certification in Microsoft Office.

Mary could also become an accountant. Even though an accounting degree can be earned through a four-year college program, she instead can take a shorter vocational training course that leads to a certificate in accounting. This course teaches basic accounting principles and equips students with knowledge needed to work as an assistant in an accounting firm.

Vocational skills are practical or firsthand skills that help a person master a trade or a job. These skills may be obtained on the job or at a vocational school. A vocational school provides technical education to prepare people for work in a trade, craft, or profession. While vocational education isn't for everyone, there are many benefits. For instance, vocational schools are

Income generation interventions, such as microfinance or vocational skills training, address structural factors associated with HIV risk. However, the effectiveness of these interventions on HIV-related outcomes in low- and middle-income countries has not been synthesized. The authors conducted a systematic review by searching electronic databases from 1990 to 2012, examining secondary references, and hand-searching key journals. Peer-reviewed studies were included in the analysis if they evaluated income generation interventions in low- or middle-income countries and provided pre-post or multi-arm measures on behavioral, psychological, social, care, or biological outcomes related to HIV prevention. Standardized forms were used to abstract study data in duplicate and study rigor was assessed. Of the 5218 unique citations identified, 12 studies met criteria for inclusion. Studies were geographically diverse, with six conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, three in South or Southeast Asia, and three in Latin America and the Caribbean. Target populations included adult women (N = 6), female sex workers/bar workers (N = 3), and youth/orphans (N = 3). All studies targeted females except two among youth/orphans. Study rigor was moderate, with two group-randomized trials and two individual-randomized trials. All interventions except three included some form of microfinance. Only a minority of studies found significant intervention effects on condom use, number of sexual partners, or other HIV-related behavioral outcomes; most studies showed no significant change, although some may have had inadequate statistical power. One trial showed a 55% reduction in intimate partner violence (adjusted risk ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.91). No studies measured incidence/prevalence of HIV or sexually transmitted infections among intervention recipients. The evidence that income generation interventions influence HIV-related behaviors and outcomes is inconclusive. However, these interventions may have important effects on outcomes beyond HIV prevention. Further studies examining not only HIV-related outcomes but also causal pathways and intermediate variables, are needed. Additional studies among men are also needed. 041b061a72