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25 May SELC News

The Importance of Vocational Education

Vocational education and training (VET) has many benefits when it comes to furthering your business career. Enrolling in vocation education courses can help develop new professional skills, improve your current skills, or retrain for new employment. VET courses give you the hands-on skills and expertise you require in many business sectors.

Many people think that vocational education courses are just a way to learn a practical trade. For example, plumbing, welding, medical training and craft courses are examples of vocational training. However, vocational courses have an important role in high-end business professions. Top vocational colleges offer diploma courses in subjects such as project management, business administration and leadership.

What is the role of vocational education and training in career advancement? How can this type of education benefit your career prospects? You will find the answers to these questions in this article.

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What is Vocational Education?

“Vocation education and training” is defined as “training for a specific occupation through a combination of practical experience and theoretical training”. Career colleges are instrumental in providing further education through VET courses.

Some examples of vocation education and training courses include:

-Business administration

-Leadership and management

-Project management

Vocational education is both practical and useful for career growth. This is only true if the education establishment is recognised by state education authorities.

For example, the VET courses offered by ELC Education Australia are recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Here students from over 70 countries can enrol in over 15 various career courses, including English language courses for customer service communication.

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Importance of Vocational Training in Career Development

Most economies in the world, including the Australian economy, are becoming more professionalised. Despite the emphasis placed on university higher education, VET college courses continue to have an important role in the job market.

 

A paper published by a policy think tank in the United Kingdom highlighted the importance of vocation education. Researchers found that more attention should be paid to vocational education and training. This was seen as essential in training employees to take on highly-skilled jobs. VET provides a way to develop the essential skills necessary for growing economies.

 

According to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in Australia, over 34% of employers view having vocational qualifications as an essential job requirement. The survey showed that the main reasons for requiring VET were:

 

-Job candidates have the required skills

-Employers can fill specific roles in their organisations

-Candidates have the required licensing requirements

So, the importance of VET at the start of your career path cannot be understated.

 

Benefits of Vocational Education

What are the many benefits of enrolling in VET courses after finishing school or using it to further your career?

Here are 7 unique benefits VET offers.

  1. Specialised training

The most important benefit of VET is that you get specialised training in your career industry. Career colleges offer programs and courses that focus on learning unique skills that are practical for the workplace. After graduating, you leave college as an expert with valuable work experience in your field.

  1. Better job opportunities

Most employers view job applicants who have vocational training as an asset. Therefore, a VET certificate or diploma from professional colleges greatly improves your job opportunities.

Many studies show that employers prefer to hire people who already have the required skills and experience. A report by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), found this to be true. Having a VET certificate or diploma increased the chances of being hired and also retaining the job.

Another reason why VET boosts your job opportunities is that you have experience when you start the job. Some studies indicate that employers have to retrain university graduates to cope with labour-market demands. Usually, employees with vocational training enter the job market with the necessary skills already in hand.

Apart from being a valuable asset to the company, VET graduates already have the necessary experience in the workplace environment.

  1. Higher earnings

Completing college VET courses may also help you get a higher-paying job. This is generally true if you are looking for your first job after leaving school or want to gain additional education.

According to a 2019 report on vocational education, postsecondary vocational education leads to earning increases. Employees who had VET had an increase of 7% in earnings over a 5-year period. This was true whether they switched employer or not. The industries where vocational education boosted earnings the most were in the business, technology, and health sectors.

  1. Retraining for a new career

Vocational education helps you develop new skills if you need to retrain before looking for new employment. The above-mentioned report by CEDEFOP found that VET can train a person in the skills essential for the current job market.

  1. Better learning environment

Personalised and thorough learning is another of the benefits that VET colleges offer. Very often, vocational school classrooms have fewer students than other colleges. This allows students to receive the best kind of practical education. Smaller classes also mean that it is easier to develop friendships with other students.

In most vocational colleges, learning schedules are flexible and students enjoy a mixture of classroom learning and workplace experience.

  1. Increase personal development and growth

Vocational training and education is also a great way to find out more about yourself. Many students have found that this helps with their personal development. The reason for this is that international vocational colleges also bring together students from all over the world.

For example, in SELC, there is a mix of nationalities with students coming from over 70 countries. Also, studying in Sydney gives you the chance to experience life in a vibrant, multi-cultural city. Living and learning in this environment strengthens your independence and help you become a more responsible person.

Studying in a vocational college overseas can also make you a citizen of the world. Skills learned in vocational education are useful in industries in many countries. This can open up many employment opportunities in foreign countries that you never thought possible.

  1. Career services

The best vocational career colleges actively assist students to find their dream careers. SELC offers career pathway program services to help students find jobs, go on to further education, or organize internships. Students can also benefit from our job-finding workshops. These help to match skills to relevant jobs both locally and internationally.

Please contact us for more information on the benefits you can get by enrolling in vocational education courses.