It’s true that the main reason we send our children to school for them to achieve academically in school. However, the belief of the society is currently changing. Schools are now changing from strictly academic to other forms. Since, not all children are gifted to learn as much as others these children tend to fail academically as a result, they become neglected from the school. Though, these children fails academically they can be taught in the school environment. This can benefit the children in many ways. I personally believe that vocational training is as important as academic teaching in a school for many reasons.
One reason why vocational training is beneficial to the children is that it gives them the chance to find employment or run their own business when they grow up. Since vocational skills training is given to children in their interested field they can learn while enjoying themselves. It includes sewing, housekeeping, hairdressing, small business management, weaving, handicrafts, short courses on various income-generating trainings, and social work training (VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING, 2009).
Sewing skills especially for girls can be very beneficial. They can earn their own money by just sitting at home and using their skills. As sewing is a physical work there are not much complex training required. This skill can also be used to sew your own clothes. It would save you a bunch of money while shopping if you’re up for it.
Hairdressing is also something many people are fond of. Good vocational training from hairdressing can be beneficial for someone who’s really interested in this industry. Since, there are new developments in the fashion industry and how much the youth are interested in fashion has changed everything. Now we can see a huge market for hair dressers therefore, anyone with a good training in this field can be self employed and earning money doing what they love.
Another reason for considering vocational training is that it offers specialized training for specific jobs. Since training is started from school when students graduate from school they will be more than ready to work in skilled jobs immediately. Moreover, graduates with background of vocational training have their added advantage over graduates without any training done. Reason could be that most graduates without any training are extremely slow learning in the workplace (Doak).
For example, I have witnessed myself the same kind of issues. Usually students passing from exams with top class are weak in the work place than the students who barely passed but have more experience in the work place. Students without experience find in extremely difficult the cope up in the real world. Just recently a friend of mine, a college graduate joined an organization as an assistant officer. Though, the job specification of an assistant officer is just Olevel standard. However, since he lacks any experience and training in the work place no one was willing to hire him therefore he had no choice in the matter.
Another importance for vocational training is the career and technical education. In this concept career and technical education provides for a planned program of courses and learning experiences which allow students to explore career option, develop academic skills, achieve high academic standards, and prepare for industry work or advance education (Doak). This concept can be used to offer students to explore the work industry.
For example, the vocational training can give them the idea of how the industry will be. This can give them the opportunity to choose the industry that they are interested in. Such as, construction and manufacturing industries, health services, small business, agriculture, education or information technology. Specialties are as diverse as advertising art and design, television production, computer graphics, cosmetology, business and computer technology, auto mechanics, carpentry, masonry, small engine technology, practical nursing, floral design, and urban forestry (Doak).
Furthermore vocational training school allows the opportunity to specialize in the interested field plus it will allow them to change to any other industry or even train in multiple industries. After being in an industry and learning the nature of the work they can change if they are no longer interested in it.
In conclusion, vocational training has been declining over the past years in some societies, mainly in the manufacturing industries. for the reason that, manufacturing industry has declined in theses societies however vocational training has been shifted to servicing industries in these nations. Now vocational training might not be used for just simply learning some skills but there is a wider scope to it. Since, the modern world is only hiring employees with training and do not want to bear the cost of training new recruits, today vocational training is mainly used as training for jobs and also as an extracurricular activity. Therefore, vocational training has become as important as academic studies in most societies.
