vocational secondary education

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/20/gcse-results-day-2024-number-grading-system/

GCSE results day 2024: Everything you need to know including the number grading system

Thousands of students across the country will soon be finding out their GCSE results and thinking about the next steps in their education.   

Here we explain everything you need to know about the big day, from when results day is, to the current 9-1 grading scale, to what your options are if your results aren’t what you’re expecting.  

When is GCSE results day 2024?  

GCSE results day will be taking place on Thursday the 22 August.     

The results will be made available to schools on Wednesday and available to pick up from your school by 8am on Thursday morning.  

Schools will issue their own instructions on how and when to collect your results.   

When did we change to a number grading scale?  

The shift to the numerical grading system was introduced in England in 2017 firstly in English language, English literature, and maths.  

By 2020 all subjects were shifted to number grades. This means anyone with GCSE results from 2017-2020 will have a combination of both letters and numbers.  

The numerical grading system was to signal more challenging GCSEs and to better differentiate between students’ abilities - particularly at higher grades between the A *-C grades. There only used to be 4 grades between A* and C, now with the numerical grading scale there are 6.  

What do the number grades mean?  

The grades are ranked from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest.  

The grades don’t exactly translate, but the two grading scales meet at three points as illustrated below.  

The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A, while the bottom of grade 4 is aligned to the bottom of grade C.    

Meanwhile, the bottom of grade 1 is aligned to the bottom of grade G.  

What to do if your results weren’t what you were expecting?  

If your results weren’t what you were expecting, firstly don’t panic. You have options.  

First things first, speak to your school or college – they could be flexible on entry requirements if you’ve just missed your grades.   

They’ll also be able to give you the best tailored advice on whether re-sitting while studying for your next qualifications is a possibility.   

If you’re really unhappy with your results you can enter to resit all GCSE subjects in summer 2025. You can also take autumn exams in GCSE English language and maths.  

Speak to your sixth form or college to decide when it’s the best time for you to resit a GCSE exam.  

Look for other courses with different grade requirements     

Entry requirements vary depending on the college and course. Ask your school for advice, and call your college or another one in your area to see if there’s a space on a course you’re interested in.    

Consider an apprenticeship    

Apprenticeships combine a practical training job with study too. They’re open to you if you’re 16 or over, living in England, and not in full time education.  

As an apprentice you’ll be a paid employee, have the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff, gain job-specific skills, and get time set aside for training and study related to your role.   

You can find out more about how to apply here .  

Talk to a National Careers Service (NCS) adviser    

The National Career Service is a free resource that can help you with your career planning. Give them a call to discuss potential routes into higher education, further education, or the workplace.   

Whatever your results, if you want to find out more about all your education and training options, as well as get practical advice about your exam results, visit the  National Careers Service page  and Skills for Careers to explore your study and work choices.   

You may also be interested in:

• Results day 2024: What's next after picking up your A level, T level and VTQ results?
• When is results day 2024? GCSEs, A levels, T Levels and VTQs

Tags: GCSE grade equivalent , gcse number grades , GCSE results , gcse results day 2024 , gsce grades old and new , new gcse grades

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Vocational education

Vocational training is organised by vocational educational institutions and professional higher education institutions.

Vocational education system in Estonia is regulated by the Vocational Educational Institutions Act which provides the basis for the establishment, maintenance, transfer, reorganisation and closure of vocational educational institutions, the basis for the right to provide instruction, management, organisation of studies, state-commissioned education and financing, the rights and obligations of members of schools, and state supervision over the activities of schools.

Uniform requirements for vocational training are regulated by the Vocational Education Standard.

In the recommendation of 24 November 2020 on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience, the Council has defined reform principles to ensure that vocational education and training equips people with the knowledge, skills and competences to thrive in the evolving labour market and society, to manage the just transitions to the green and digital economy, and to cope with emergencies and economic crises.

In line with the recommendation and based on the national, sectoral and regional development plans in force and the measures developed for their implementation in the field of VET, adult education and skills policy, Estonian national implementation plan of the VET recommendation has been compiled.

Estonian national implementation plan of the VET recommendation

Qualifications

The status of the curriculum at a given qualification level is determined by the positioning of the curricular professional standards within the Estonian Qualifications Framework Professional standards that serve as the benchmarks of vocational education are positioned between levels two to five in the qualification strata, meaning that vocational training stages are differentiated between levels two, three, four and five.   In cases where the curriculum is put together based on professional standards intended for the second level, the curriculum corresponds to level two. When the curriculum is founded on professional standards three, four and five, the curriculum equates to levels three, four and five correspondingly.

Vocational secondary education is equivalent to level 4 vocational training, meaning that besides vocational training the student also acquires upper secondary education. Vocational upper secondary education is conducted based on national curriculum.

Level 5 vocational training, also known as specialised vocational training was established in Estonia during the 2013/2014 academic year – there was no equivalent level of vocational training available previously.

The learning outcomes of all types of vocational training, meaning the knowledge, skills and attitudes mastered during the course of the studies, have been described in the Vocational Education Standard.

Table of levels 2-5 of vocational training

Vocational training is open to all applicants. No limits have been imposed on persons who have already acquired either vocational or higher education but who wish to supplement their knowledge base or learn a new trade or craft. Enrolment requirements pertaining to prior education are dependent on the type of vocational training applied for and whether the applicant wishes to study according to initial or follow up curricula.

Curricula for vocational secondary education also admit persons of at least 22 years of age who have not received basic education, but who can verify that they have the knowledge, skills and competences equivalent to basic education. The possession of such competences will be evaluated by the vocational education institution.

As a rule, studying at vocational educational institutions is free of charge for the student, with exceptions being centred on vocations that are especially popular or where competition for vacancies outstrips supply. Private vocational education institutions offer both free and tuition fee based learning opportunities. More detailed information is available directly from schools.

Graduating requires that the student accomplish all the study goals listed in the curriculum. The attainment of study goals will be evaluated by vocational exams. In cases where the chosen vocation does not provide an opportunity for performing the vocational exam, the studies will be completed upon passing the school’s graduation exam.

Vocational exams can be undertaken in the student’s school if the school in question has been authorised to provide vocational qualifications. In cases where the school does not have such a right, the exams may be taken at an institution that has been authorised to issue vocational qualifications. For more information about organisations entitled to grant vocations and on the processes involved, please visit the Estonian Qualifications Authority website .

Formal vocational training curricula are divided between national and school curricula.

National curricula form the blueprints for providing upper secondary vocational training. National curricula is implemented by regulations signed by the Minister of Education and Research. National curricula is drafted in co-operation with social partners and by making allowances for pertinent professional standards, vocational education standards and the national curriculum for upper secondary schools.

School curricula are compiled for every individual vocation or profession that can be acquired at the school. The schools’ formal study curricula (excluding vocational secondary education curricula) are compiled based on vocational education standards and associated vocational standards. In cases where no vocational standards exist, the schools must apply for recognition of the curriculaby social partners. Vocational secondary education curricula will be formulated based on national curricula.

Vocational training curricula determine the following:

• the goals and tasks of vocational, specialised and occupational studies;
• attainable learning outcomes;
• links to the Estonian Qualifications Framework;
• requirements for commencing and concluding studies;
• curricular modules and their volumes together with learning outcomes and evaluation criteria;
• options and conditions for choosing modules;
• specialisation opportunities;
• specific qualifications acquired during studies.

Vocational training offers the opportunity to study according to initial and continuing curricula.

Commencing studies based on the initial training curriculum does not require existance of previous professional competence.

The prerequisite for beginning studies under continuing training curricula is the acquisition of profession corresponding to the previous or the same qualification level or the corresponding competencies and level of education. Continuing vocational training takes place only in level 4 and 5 of vocational training.

Workplace based studies constitute a specialised form of vocational education where the ratio of practical assignments undertaken in companies or institutions encompasses at least two thirds of the curriculum.

The student achieves the learning outcomes described in the curriculum by fulfilling working tasks at the company. The remainder of the studies will be undertaken at school.

Workplace based studies are conducted upon signing an intern contract between the school, student and employee, which stipulates the rights and obligations of parties as well as the exact details of the learning process. The employee has to recompense the student for tasks performed to the amount agreed upon in the intern contract. The agreed wages must not be less than the statutory minimum wage established by the government. In cases where the student and employee are already bound by a valid employment contract, no extra wages are paid.

Development of vocational education

The development of Estonian vocational education is based on the documents, policies and development plans of the European Union and Estonia.

The Member States of the European Union adopted the European Skills Agenda (01.07.2020), the Vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience (24.11.2020 ) and the Osnabrück Declaration (30.11.2020).

The Estonian Vocational Training Action Plan 2022-2030 has been prepared on the basis of the recommendation of the Council of the EU and the Estonian Education Development Plan 2022-2035.

The development of vocational education and training in Estonia is also based on the Estonian Education Development Plan 2021-2035 and its Operational Program Education and Youth 2021-2024. The aim of the program is to provide the Estonian population with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to develop in their personal, professional and social lives, and to support the promotion of Estonian life and global sustainable development. Estonia, which the young person wishes to advance, is created by the comprehensive development opportunities, security and solid support of the young person.

In the development of vocational education and training, the Ministry of Education and Research cooperates closely with the central and professional associations of employers, contractor organisations, other ministries and educational institutions that organize vocational education and training. All the major partners are brought together by the Vocational Training Advisory Board, whose main task is to advise the Ministry of Education and Research and educational institutions on strategic planning in the field of vocational education, organisation of the network of educational institutions, planning and financing of training areas and other important issues in the field of vocational education.

The Ministry's partner in implementing the strategic objectives of vocational education is the Estonian Society for the Development of Vocational Training.

Vocational education is developed in cooperation with the programmes of closer labour market and learning, digital transformation, teachers and heads of educational institutions, study and career guidance, adult education and school network.

Vocational education institutions

Vocational education can be acquired either in vocational education or professional higher education institutions. In the 2021/2022 academic year, there are 33 vocational education institutions and 5 profesional higher institutions active in Estonia. Based on the ownership of the school, vocational educational institutions are divided into state, municipal and private vocational education institutions.

Vocational education institutions administered by the Ministry of Education and Research are state schools. In the academic year of 2021/2022, the total number of them is 27.

• Estonian Nautical School
• Tartu Heino Eller Music High School
• Haapsalu Vocational Education and Training Centre
• Hiiumaa Vocational School
• Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Centre
• Järvamaa County Vocational Training Centre
• Kehtna Vocational Education Centre
• Kuressaare Regional Training Centre
• Luua Forestry School
• Olustvere School of Service and Rural Economics
• Vocational Centre of Pärnu County
• Rakvere Vocational School
• Räpina School of Horticulture
• Tallinn Construction School
• Tallinn Lasnamäe School of Mechanics
• Tallinn School of Service
• Tallinn School of Economics
• Tallinn Music and Ballet School
• Tallinn Polytechnic School
• Tallinn Industrial Education Centre
• Tartu Art School
• Viljandi Vocational Training Centre
• Valgamaa Vocational Trainig Centre
• Vana-Vigala Technical and Service School
• Võru County Vocational Education Centre
• Kopli Vocational School of Tallinn
• Tartu Vocational Education Centre
• The First Estonian Private Cosmetic School
• Maridel School of Hair Design
• Estonian Massage and Therapy School
• German Technological School of Pärnu
• Estionian Aviation Academy
• The Estonian National Defence College
• Estonian Academy of Security Sciences
• Tallinn Health Care College
• Tartu Health Care College

Last updated: 17.10.2022

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vocational education

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• Open Publication At UTS Scholars - Towards a New Paradigm of Vocational Learning
• Academia - Vocational education: purposes, traditions and prospects
• Portland State University Pressbooks - Vocational Development
• Encyclopedia of Milwaukee - Vocational Education
• Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine - Professional and vocational education
• StateUniversity.com - History of Vocational Education
• vocational training - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

vocational education , instruction intended to equip persons for industrial or commercial occupations. It may be obtained either formally in trade schools, technical secondary schools , or in on-the-job training programs or, more informally, by picking up the necessary skills on the job.

(Read Arne Duncan’s Britannica essay on “Education: The Great Equalizer.”)

Vocational education in schools is a relatively modern development. Until the 19th century such education, except for the professions, was provided only by apprenticeship . This situation was partly due to the low social status associated with such instruction as opposed to a classical curriculum, which was considered “necessary for a gentleman.” With the growth of industrialization during the 19th century, however, several European countries, notably Germany , began introducing vocational education in elementary and secondary schools. In Great Britain, however, opposition to vocational education persisted into the 20th century, although a few trade and junior technical schools were established by local authorities before World War II . By the late 19th century public (common) school vocational education in the United States consisted of manual training and practical arts. These programs were gradually expanded until 1917 when federal aid was provided to public schools for trade and industrial, agricultural, and homemaking courses.

After World War II the demand for trained paraprofessionals in the relatively new fields of computer science , electronics, and medical services led to an increased interest in short-term postsecondary specialized training programs in these areas as an alternative to a traditional college education.

What we know about Career and Technical Education in high school

Subscribe to the center for economic security and opportunity newsletter, brian a. jacob brian a. jacob walter h. annenberg professor of education policy; professor of economics, and professor of education - university of michigan, former brookings expert.

October 5, 2017

• 17 min read

Career and technical education (CTE) has traditionally played an important role in U.S. secondary schools. The first federal law providing funding for vocational education was passed in 1917, even before education was compulsory in every state. 1

CTE encompasses a wide range of activities intended to simultaneously provide students with skills demanded in the labor market while preparing them for post-secondary degrees in technical fields. Activities include not only specific career-oriented classes, but also internships, apprenticeships and in-school programs designed to foster work readiness.

CTE advocates cite several goals of career-oriented learning experiences. For non-college-bound students, CTE can provide hands-on training that translates directly to attractive careers upon graduation. Work-related or internship-like experiences that are often a part of CTE can teach students the “soft skills” necessary in the labor market. Finally, by integrating academic skills into a “real world” context, advocates claim that CTE can motivate students to attend school more frequently and be more engaged, and therefore improve core academic skills.

However, CTE has been on the decline for several decades. Starting in the 1980s, states increased the number of courses required for high school graduation, and began mandating students take additional courses in core academic areas such as math, science, social studies and foreign language. 2 These additional requirements, along with declining funding 3 and a growing perception that all young people should be encouraged to obtain a four-year college degree, led to a sharp decline in CTE participation. Between 1990 and 2009, the number of CTE credits earned by U.S. high school students dropped by 14 percent. 4

The past decade has seen a resurgence in interest in CTE. Scholarship in the area of education and the labor market has increased markedly. 5 In the past four years alone, media mentions of “career and technical education” have quadrupled. 6 In 2015 alone, 39 states instituted 125 new laws, policies or regulations relating to CTE, many of which increased state funding for such programs. Montana, for example, doubled the annual statewide appropriation for secondary CTE; Nevada tripled its funding. 7

Unfortunately, research on CTE has not kept pace with policy interest. 8

What does earlier non-experimental research tell us?

Prior non-experimental evidence suggests that students who participate in secondary CTE programs have higher employment and earnings than demographically-similar peers in the short run, but they do not necessarily have better academic outcomes. For example, many studies show little or no differences between CTE participants and comparison groups in terms of academic achievement, high school graduation or college enrollment. 9

A good example of this type of research is a recent study by Daniel Kreisman and Kevin Stange, which relies on data from the NLSY97, a nationally representative sample of 12- to 17- year-old youth in 1997 that tracks individuals over time.

They find that CTE participation is not strongly associated with educational attainment – CTE students are marginally less likely to enroll in college but no less likely to earn a degree – but CTE coursework does predict employment outcomes. Importantly, they find that CTE participation is associated with higher wages, with the increase driven entirely by upper-level coursework, defined as courses within a sequence beyond the introductory class, in more technical fields. Each additional year of upper-level vocational coursework is associated with a nearly 2 percent wage increase. 10 This suggests that the benefits of CTE education stem from in-depth study of a specific area consistent with the recent trend toward “pathways of study” within CTE. 11

As the authors recognize, however, the biggest challenge in evaluating CTE is that students typically self-select into such programs, or student choices are circumscribed by the types of programs offered in nearby schools. In either case, it is likely that students participating in CTE are different in many ways than other youth who do not participate in CTE – in terms of their personal abilities and interests, family background, etc. On the one hand, many observers have described CTE as a “dumping ground” for lower-achieving or unmotivated students. 12 On the other hand, because CTE is not the “default” pathway, the students who participate must be at least somewhat motivated and informed. 13

CTE can motivate students to attend school more frequently and be more engaged, and therefore improve core academic skills.

Kreisman and Stange attempt to circumvent this selection problem using what researchers refer to as an instrumental variables strategy. Simply put, they compare students across schools with different high school graduation requirements because, as they show, the greater the number of required courses, the fewer CTE courses students take. Using this approach, they find that the wage benefits associated with CTE disappear.

However, a key assumption here is that, after controlling for observable student and school characteristics, the students attending high schools with fewer graduation requirements are identical to those attending high schools with more graduation requirements. 14 As the authors recognize, this is a very strong assumption. If this assumption is true, it implies that students whose CTE course-taking is influenced by graduation requirements realize little benefit from it. Of course, it may still be the case that those who self-select into CTE benefit from it, and that prohibiting them from doing so would be detrimental.

A further complication is that virtually all of the existing research on CTE has focused on relatively short-run outcomes. This is a notable limitation because many believe that career-focused education involves a tradeoff – namely, learning a narrower set of technical skills that can provide short-run benefits at the expense of learning more fundamental skills that will better serve individuals in the long-run. 15 Indeed, a recent study using European data finds some evidence of exactly this type of tradeoff. 16 Given the changes we expect to take place in the labor market in coming years, and how often individuals might need to switch occupations, this is a potentially serious concern. Of course, advocates of CTE argue – with some justification – that career-oriented education today does aim to teach core academic skills essential to lifelong learning, and often does so better than traditional schooling, particularly for disadvantaged youth. 17

the gold standard

The single best way to avoid such selection problems and determine the causal impact of a policy or program is through a randomized control trial. While such experiments can be expensive and are often logistically or politically difficult, they have a long history in education policy research. Other research designs, known as quasi-experimental research, attempt to approximate the same design with statistical techniques.

According to the What Works Clearinghouse, for example, there are 83 programs with experimental or quasi-experimental evidence in the area of early childhood education, 39 programs for dropout-prevention, and 32 programs for English language learners.

In the area of secondary CTE, there is only 1. Yes, one. This study examined Career Academies in the early 1990s, before many of the occupations common today even existed and prior to the introduction of policies with important implications for secondary schools (e.g., school accountability). 18

Structured as distinct programs embedded within comprehensive high schools, the Career Academies provided students with career-oriented instruction in a particular field along with internships and other activities to prepare students for, and connect them with, the labor market. The schools in the study were located in or near large urban areas with predominantly low-income minority student populations. The Career Academy programs were oversubscribed, which permitted admissions to be determined by lottery.

Researchers found that Career Academies had no impact (positive or negative) on high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment or educational attainment. However, the study found that students who received the opportunity to attend a career academy earned 11 percent more than the control group. Interestingly, this positive wage effect was driven entirely by male students, who enjoyed a 17 percent earnings boost. Males defined as high-risk based on baseline characteristics (i.e. prior to high school) realized the largest benefits from the program. There was no significant difference between the earnings of females in the treatment and control group.

This single study has been cited hundreds of times, and is featured prominently in nearly every literature review and many policy proposals regarding CTE. While this was an extremely well-done evaluation of an important CTE model, it has important limitations. As noted elsewhere, Career Academies are a small component of CTE provision nationwide. 19 The study itself focused on a small number of sites which, as evidenced by their oversubscription, were perceived as high quality. 20

and then there were two

Compelling research on CTE recently doubled with the release of a new study of regional vocational and technical high schools (RVTS) in Massachusetts. 21

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Unlike the Career Academies described above, RVTS are entire schools devoted to career-oriented instruction. Students spend one week in the classroom followed by one week in a technical shop. While students in other schools have access to CTE courses, RVTS offer more variety in terms of the program of study, and the programs themselves are typically higher quality than those found in comprehensive high schools.

The author of the study, Shaun Dougherty, obtained detailed data on student applications to three RVTS. Because the schools are often oversubscribed, they admit students on the basis of their attendance, grades and discipline record in middle school. By comparing the educational outcomes of students who scored just above the admissions threshold (and thus were very likely to attend) and just below the admissions threshold (who mostly did not attend), Dougherty is able to account for the selection bias that has plagued prior CTE research. This approach is known as a regression discontinuity design. What Works Clearinghouse considers well-done studies of this type to provide evidence nearly as compelling as an RCT.

Dougherty finds that attending a RVTS dramatically increases the likelihood of high school graduation. Poor students are 32 percentage points more likely to graduate if they attend a RVTS, which represents a 60 percent increase given the baseline graduation rate of 50 percent. The effect for non-poor students is somewhat smaller, but still quite large – an increase of 23 percentage points from a baseline of 67 percent, suggesting a nearly 35 percent improvement. 22 At the same time, Dougherty finds that attending a RVTS has no impact (positive or negative) on the standardized math and reading exams that all Massachusetts students take at the end of 10 th grade.

where to go from here?

More rigorous research on CTE programs is clearly needed. To its credit, the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) recently initiated several new data collection and research grants in this area. The recent study by Dougherty is a great start, but only a start. Further progress requires a series of studies that build on each other, and examine different approaches to CTE. Because states play a large role in developing and overseeing CTE programming, they must take the lead. States have been very active in passing laws, issuing regulations and disseminating policies about CTE. States now need to step up and support a research agenda that can help ensure these new initiatives are successful.

The author did not receive any financial support from any firm or person for this article or from any firm or person with a financial or political interest in this article. He is currently not an officer, director, or board member of any organization with an interest in this article.

• The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 preceded the passage of compulsory attendance laws in Mississippi in 1918 , the last of the 48 states of the time to pass such a law.
• Jacob et al. (2017). “Are Expectations Alone Enough? Estimating the Effect of a Mandatory College-Prep Curriculum in Michigan.” Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis,39(2): 333-360. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3102/0162373716685823 .
• U.S. Department of Education (2014). National assessment of career and technical education. Final report to congress. Technical report, Washington, DC.
• Hudson, L. (2013). “Trends in CTE Coursetaking. data point.” National Center for Education Statistics, NCES 2014-901.
• Shaun M. Dougherty and Allison R. Lomarbardi. “From Vocational Education to Career Readiness: The Ongoing Work of Linking Education and the Labor Market.” Chapter 10 in Review of Research in Education, March 2016, Vol. 40: 326–355
• From 5,518 stories in 2014 to 22,755 stories from January 1 to September 28 of this year, based on author’s Meltwater analysis.
• http://www.acteonline.org/uploadedFiles/Who_We_Are/Press/2015_State-Policy-Review_FINAL%20(1).pdf
• Corinne Alfeld made this same point in an IES blog post earlier this year.  See https://ies.ed.gov/blogs/research/post/career-technical-education-is-growing-research-must-follow
• For good reviews of this prior literature, see Kreisman and Stange (forthcoming) and Dougherty (forthcoming).
• The benefits of upper-level CTE coursework is driven largely by those focusing in technical fields.
• While selection bias is still a concern, it is worthwhile noting that the authors control for a very rich set of covariates including student demographics, parental income, parental education, student AFQT score, freshman year GPA, state of birth and various school characteristics.
• See, for example, Kelly, S. & Price, H. (2009). Vocational education: A clear slate for disengaged students? Social Science Research, 38 (4), 810–825.
• Insofar as CTE programs involve travel to/from worksites, it seems likely that participation requires more time than a student would have to devote to a standard high school track.
• As the authors discuss in detail in the paper, there are two reasons why their instrumental variable results might differ from their OLS regression results. The first is that the students who self-select into CTE have some positive, unobservable characteristics that explain their success in the labor market. The second is that there is true heterogeneity in the returns to CTE – the students who self-select do indeed benefit from the experience, but those whose course-taking decisions can be swayed by their school’s graduation requirements do not benefit.
• http://hanushek.stanford.edu/publications/german-style-apprenticeships-simply-cant-be-replicated
• Among younger people, employment rates are higher among those with vocational education. However, this pattern reverses by age 50. These patterns are most pronounced in countries that have highly developed work-based education systems such as Germany, Denmark and Switzerland. See Hanushek et al. (2017). “General Education, Vocational Education, and Labor-Market Outcomes over the Life-Cycle.” Journal of Human Resources. 52(1): 49-88.
• http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/top_performers/2017/07/the_false_choice_between_vocational_and_academic_education.html
• Kemple, J & Willner, C.J. (2008). Career academies: Long-term impacts on labor market outcomes, educational attainment, and transitions to adulthood . MDRC.
• Kreisman and Stange (2016), “Vocational and Career Tech Education in American High Schools: The Value of Depth Over Breadth.” NBER working paper
• And, if one looks beyond the headline results, the detailed findings of the Career Academy raise a number of important questions about the mechanisms, and thus generalizability, of the impacts. For example, students in the treatment group reported significantly higher levels of interpersonal support from teachers and peers than their comparison counterparts. While Career Academy students did engage in work-based experiences that control students did not, researchers found that the curricula and instructional materials used in the Career Academies were similar to those used in other parts of the high school, and did not meaningfully integrate academic content with career-related applications. Together these findings suggest that the benefits of attending a career academy may relate as much to the school culture as the particular career focus, similar to the benefits of attending a small school or “school-within-a-school.”Bloom, Howard S., and Rebecca Unterman. 2014. Can small high schools of choice improve educational prospects for disadvantaged students? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 33(2): 290–319.
• Dougherty, S.M. (forthcoming). “The Effect of Career and Technical Education on Human Capital Accumulation: Causal Evidence from Massachusetts.” Education Finance & Policy.
• These findings are consistent with some prior research suggesting that CTE participation can increase attachment to school. See, for example, the following studies: Plank, Stephen B., Stefanie DeLuca, and Angela Estacion. 2008. High school dropout and the role of career and technical education: A survival analysis of surviving high school. Sociology of Education 81(4): 345–370. Cellini, Stephanie Riegg, “Smoothing the Transition to College? The Effect of Tech-Prep Programs on Educational Attainment,” Economics of Education Review, 25(4), August 2006: 394-411.

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Vocational education in high school: What you need to know

By Kate Kelly

Expert reviewed by Jim Rein, MA

At a glance

Vocational education can be academically rigorous and prepare kids for college.

States differ in how they offer vocational education.

Program requirements and the credentials students graduate with also vary by state.

Vocational education used to be thought of in a very narrow way. It was considered simply an alternative track for high-schoolers who weren’t going on to college. Students often didn’t graduate with a standard high school diploma . But career and technical education, as it’s often called, has changed a lot in recent years.

In many states, these programs no longer limit the opportunities after high school. In fact, a high-quality program may expand your child’s options . Students in a good program should be able to graduate from high school with a standard diploma so they can go to college if they choose .

Vocational education can be a good option to consider for some kids with learning and thinking differences. Here’s what you need to know about these programs.

What vocational education is

Vocational education, or career and technical education, is exactly what it sounds like. Students learn skills that prepare them to work in a particular field after high school.

Vocational schools still offer training in trades like carpentry and culinary arts. But they also feature programs in fields like health care, technology, and graphic design. Most have advisory committees that help them focus on programs that have the most employment opportunities.

Good programs also include regular academic classes. That allows students to graduate with standard diplomas, and gives them the option of going on to two- and four-year colleges .

States differ in how they offer vocational education. There are three standard models:

Self-contained schools that are separate from the traditional high school.

Schools that operate in a separate wing within a traditional high school.

Programs where kids attend traditional high school in the morning and then take a bus to a technology and career center in their area.

Planning for vocational education

If your child has an IEP , you’ll both meet with the IEP team in eighth grade for a transition planning meeting . That’s a good time to discuss vocational education. (This is a good time to explore vocational education if your child doesn’t have an IEP, too.)

Some states offer vocational education for all four years of high school. Others have two-year programs that begin junior year.

The school may raise the topic of vocational education if it seems like college might not be an option for your child. But if you think it might be a good path to explore regardless, you can bring it up yourself.

There are a few reasons you might want to consider vocational education for your child. One is if your child has a strong interest in an area of study that’s offered. Another is if your child is highly motivated by hands-on learning that relates to the “real world.”

Still, it’s important to ask what happens if it turns out your child doesn’t have the skills or the interest in that field.

How to spot a quality program

Career and technical education differs from state to state. That leads to a wide range in the quality of programs and what’s expected of students. So it’s important to make sure the program matches up with your child’s goals. (Keep in mind that no matter where you live, IEP and 504 plan supports and services should stay in place in vocational education.)

Here are some things that occur in a quality vocational program:

Students graduate with a standard diploma. Programs should prepare teens for college. That means students should take all of the standardized tests and classes their district requires. Doing that makes them eligible for a standard (academic) diploma. Make sure this is the case in your state. Students may also be able to graduate with a certificate or license in their field of study in addition to their diploma. Requirements for these vary by state.

Students can take foreign language classes. Most four-year colleges require two years of foreign language in high school. If your child is enrolled in vocational education, these classes should be built into his day.

Another thing to consider is how well graduates of the program do after high school. There are a number of questions to ask to find out how well the program prepares students for life after high school:

How do standardized test scores compare with those of the regular high school?

Can you share any statistics on job placement after graduation?

How many graduates go on to four-year colleges?

How many graduates go on to two-year colleges?

Can you tell me what kind of professional experience the teachers have?

Watch as an expert talks about choosing a vocational high school for your child.

Vocational education is directly tied to what your child might pursue after high school. Help your child think about possible careers . And explore potential careers for kids who don’t want to sit behind a desk .

Key takeaways

Vocational education may be a good option for students who like hands-on, “real world” learning.

In a quality vocational program, students take all standardized tests and classes their district requires. This makes them eligible for a standard diploma.

As part of your research, ask about job placement and what types of colleges the graduates attend.

Explore related topics

OECD Education and Skills Today

Global perspectives on education and skills

Why vocational education matters more than you might think

By Giovanni Maria Semeraro

Statistician, OECD Directorate for Education and Skills 

Vocational education has not always had the best reputation. Vocational programmes are often technical in nature, and their graduates typically expect lower incomes relative to those who complete general or academic tracks. As a result, vocational education is generally perceived as a track for low-achieving students, or an alternative for those who drop out.

But this reputation is not entirely deserved. In our latest Education Indicators in Focus brief , we examine the characteristics of vocational education and training programmes in modern education systems, and unmask some of the myths surrounding them.

To start with, vocational education may be more attractive than we think. As the following figure makes clear, many countries across the OECD have developed strong and robust vocational education systems. In 2016, almost half (44%) of upper secondary students across all OECD countries were enrolled in vocational tracks. In Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, the Netherlands, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, that figure was around 70%.

It is true that lower-performing students tend to enter vocational programmes at the upper secondary level. PISA data show that enrolment in vocational tracks is strongly associated with poor student performance; on average across OECD countries, the share of low performers in vocational programmes is twice as large as in general tracks. Low performance can make students feel disengaged from school, and more likely to drop out. Students in upper secondary vocational tracks are also less likely to complete their programme than those enrolled in general programmes, which carries obvious consequences for them in the labour market.

But vocational education and training systems attract a diverse range of other students, as well. Although some vocational students are indeed at risk of dropping out of school, others are simply seeking technical skills for labour market entry. Vocational students also include adults who wish to increase their employability by further developing their skills, as well as students who might later seek entry into higher education. A common characteristic of these programmes is their central role in preparing young people for work and responding to labour market needs. Because of this, vocational programmes are fairly resilient to economic downturns. During the 2008 recession, vocational education and training effectively addressed youth unemployment in countries like Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Strong vocational systems are based on strong career guidance, links with the labour market and flexible curricula.

Today, a growing number of countries recognise the value of strong vocational education systems as a way to prepare students for direct entry into specific occupations, and are investigating measures to increase their relevance and attractiveness to students. Strong vocational systems provide students with career guidance and the opportunity to make a smooth transition to the labour market, or to pursue higher-level vocational and academic qualifications. They provide flexible curricula that enable transfers between general and vocational education and address initial, continuous and tertiary education.

Among vocational education and training programmes, combined school- and work-based programmes have several advantages. Learners receive an education that combines practical and theoretical learning, while firms receive access to a workforce that is tailored to their needs and already familiar with firm-specific procedures. Strong ties with employers and trade unions can help ensure that the vocational education system is connected with labour market needs and demands; and there is strong potential to develop these types of programmes even further. On average across OECD countries, only 11% of upper secondary students (or one in four vocational students) are enrolled in combined school- and work-based programmes.

High-quality vocational education and training can clearly make a major contribution to modern economies and labour markets. As jobs either disappear or transform with time, vocational education and training can ensure that workers develop the skills that labour markets need.

• Education Indicators in Focus no. 68: What characterises upper secondary Vocational Education and Training?
• Education at a Glance 2018: OECD Indicators
• Low-Performing Students: Why They Fall Behind and How To Help Them Succeed
• Skills beyond School, Synthesis Report

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• Education at a Glance

Education at a Glance 2020

How do vocational education systems differ around the world, oecd indicators.

Education at a Glance is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances and performance of education systems across OECD countries and a number of partner economies. More than 100 charts and tables in this publication – as well as links to much more available on the educational database – provide key information on the output of educational institutions; the impact of learning across countries; access, participation and progression in education; the financial resources invested in education; and teachers, the learning environment and the organisation of schools.

The 2020 edition includes a focus on vocational education and training, investigating participation in vocational education and training at various levels of education, the labour market and social outcomes of vocational graduates as well as the human and financial resources invested in vocational institutions. Two new indicators on how vocational education and training systems differ around the world and on upper secondary completion rate complement this topic. A specific chapter is dedicated to the Sustainable Development Goal 4, and investigates the quality and participation in secondary education.

English Also available in: German , French

• https://doi.org/10.1787/69096873-en
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The organisation and structure of vocational education varies considerably from one country to another, both in terms of the opportunities available to students to enrol in it, the content of the programmes and the possibilities for further study and employment. On average across OECD countries, about one in three students from lower secondary to short-cycle tertiary level are enrolled in a VET programme. However, there are wide variations between countries, ranging from less than 20% of students in Brazil, Colombia and Lithuania to more than 40% in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland and Slovenia ().

English Also available in: French

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Author(s) OECD

08 Sept 2020

Profile of students enrolled in vocational education from lower secondary to short-cycle tertiary, by type of programme, age and gender (2018)

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Pathways between upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education and higher levels of education, by type of programme and programme orientation (2018)

Main characteristics of combined school- and work-based programmes in upper secondary education (2018)

Distribution of students enrolled in vocational education by level of education (2018)

Distribution of students enrolled in upper secondary vocational education by type of vocational programme (2018)

Distribution of students enrolled in post-secondary non-tertiary vocational education by type of vocational programme (2018)

Share of upper secondary vocational graduates, by selected field of study (2018)

Share of students beyond the typical enrolment age in vocational education, by education level (2018)

Distribution of upper secondary vocational students by type of vocational programme (2018)

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Vocationalisation of Secondary Education Revisited

• © 2005
• Rupert Maclean 0 ,
• David N. Wilson 1 ,
• Jon Lauglo ,

Rupert Maclean

UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Bonn, Germany

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OISE, University of Toronto, Canada

• Appears in the Springer book series on "Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects" and complements the "International Handbook of Technical and Vocational Education and Training" and other publications in the "International Encyclopaedia of TVET" all of which are publications of the ‘UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for TVET’ in Bonn, Germany

Part of the book series: Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects (TVET, volume 1)

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The Reform of Vocational Education 2: Looking to the Future

Vocational Education and Training in England: Opportunities and challenges in a fragmented neoliberal system

Vocationalisation of Secondary and Tertiary Education: Challenges and Possible Future Directions

• education reform
• labor market
• vocational education

Table of contents (8 chapters)

Front matter, perspectives and overviews, vocationalised secondary education revisited, setting the context: an overview of secondary education reform with particular reference to the asia-pacific region, promise and performance in vocationalised secondary education: has the baby been thrown out with the bath water.

David N. Wilson

Country Case Studies

Pre-vocational secondary education in botswana.

• Sheldon G. Weeks

Vocationalisation of Secondary Education in Ghana

• Albert K. Akyeampong

Vocationalisation of Secondary Education: Kenya Case Study

• Kilemi Mwiria

Labour Market Impact

Technical and vocational education and training in mozambique: better than its reputation.

• Jørgen Billetoft, AUSTRAL Consultoria e Projectos

Economic Returns to Vocational Courses in U.S. High Schools

• John H. Bishop, Ferran Mañe

Back Matter

Editors and affiliations, bibliographic information.

Book Title : Vocationalisation of Secondary Education Revisited

Editors : Rupert Maclean, David N. Wilson, Jon Lauglo, Rupert Maclean

Series Title : Technical and Vocational Education and Training: Issues, Concerns and Prospects

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3034-7

Publisher : Springer Dordrecht

eBook Packages : Humanities, Social Sciences and Law , Education (R0)

Copyright Information : Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2005

Hardcover ISBN : 978-1-4020-3031-4 Published: 12 May 2005

Softcover ISBN : 978-90-481-6770-8 Published: 28 October 2010

eBook ISBN : 978-1-4020-3034-5 Published: 30 March 2006

Series ISSN : 1871-3041

Series E-ISSN : 2213-221X

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XXII, 376

Topics : Professional & Vocational Education , Education, general , Administration, Organization and Leadership , Educational Policy and Politics

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