By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.
Chances are, you know someone who has a degree - even a graduate degree - who decided to attend a career school and obtain training and certification in a trade. As opposed to four-year liberal arts colleges, career colleges are required to demonstrate that their graduates find bona fide jobs in their field, and that the jobs offer competitive pay, benefits, and experience in the field of expertise.
In a time of rapid technological and geo-economic change, many people find the idea of having a trade to be very appealing.
For some, the result will be a first-time job.
For others, it represents a way to practice a trade or a craft, and to think about eventually building a business.
Others realize that their associate’s degree in arts or their bachelor’s degree in psychology did not yield the high-paying job they had hoped for.
The answer for each individual was to obtain skills that would lead to a paying job, a fresh start, a new career. In each case, the career and vocational schools are a perfect fit.
Most people have a few questions about career colleges as they begin their search.
Are all career colleges the same?
Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice is that career colleges tend to specialize. As opposed to four-year liberal arts colleges, which pride themselves in being generalists, which mean that they tend to focus on the eternal verities, rather than a time and place-specific career, trade, or vocation.
Do career colleges only offer certificates?
You might be surprised at how many career colleges offer 2-year and 4-year degrees. The accreditation can vary - some are nationally accredited, while others have accreditation through professional organizations and/or certifying bodies. Career colleges must register through the state they are located in, but do not give degrees through the state. The degree-granting ability comes from the accrediting body.
What kinds of courses do career colleges offer?
Career and vocational colleges offer a fairly dizzying array of courses, programs, and internships. While many require hands-on training that not even simulation can really replicate (how do you simulate sculpting a swan out of ice?) - many courses are offered online.
If you are interested in attending a career college, but must take some courses online due to your job or location, the following is a list of kinds of courses that may be offered online.
Potential Online Course Offerings, Now and in the Future, for Career Colleges
HVAC: Heating and Air Conditioning - Potential Online courses
*Exam preparation
*Regulations
*Electricity
*Emerging technologies
*Accounting
*Customer relations and conflict resolution
*Logistics and scheduling
*Discussion and forum opportunities: trends in the industry, technology, multicultural clients, workplace management, workplace safety.
Cosmetology Schools: Potential Online Courses
*Health regulations
*Basic science
*Marketing and small business management
*Accounting
*Discussion and forum opportunities: current opportunities, trends, conflict resolution, workplace management, organizational behavior issues.
Trucking Schools - Potential Online courses
*Regulations review
*Globalization and the impact on transportation and trucking
*Identifying trucks, parts of trucks, engines, etc.
*Discussion and forum opportunities: discuss current issues and problems; opportunities; the business.
*See online automotive programs that are currently available.
Culinary Institutes - Potential Online courses
*Accounting
*Restaurant management
*Logistics and scheduling
*Inventory control
*Team-building
*History of wine
*History of meats and fish preparation
*Budgeting and accounting
*Discussion and forum opportunities: discuss current issues and problems; opportunities; business trends.
Nursing - Potential Online courses
*Practice exams for boards and licensures
*Health codes and regulations
*Hospital administration
*Conflict resolution
*Cultural diversity in the workplace
*Discussion and forum opportunities: discuss current issues and problems; opportunities; business trends.
Dental Assistant - Potential Online courses
*Regulations
*Practice exams for boards
*Pharmacology
*Chemistry and physiology
*Discussion and forum opportunities: discuss current issues and problems; opportunities; business trends.
Medical Records - Potential Online courses
*Regulations
*Practice exams for boards
*Discussion and forum opportunities: discuss current issues and problems; opportunities; industry trends.
Veterinary Technologist - Potential Online courses
*Regulations
*Discussion and forum opportunities: discuss current issues and problems; opportunities; controversies (bad breeds? Neutering / spaying campaigns? PETA issues), business trends, billing and accounting, ethical issues.
Computers and Information Technology - Potential Online courses
*Programming
*Principles and backgrounds
*Computer forensics and security
*Discussion and forum opportunities: trends, new technologies, future directions, jobs, challenges.