Vocational education prepares people for an occupation that does not require a bachelor's degree. It is designed mainly to help meet society's need for workers and to give students more educational options. Courses are taught in such subject areas as agriculture, business, trades and industry, health services, family and consumer sciences, and technical fields. Courses are classified as either exploratory or occupational. Exploratory courses provide an introduction to an occupation or to a number of similar jobs. Occupational courses teach entry-level skills necessary for specific semiskilled, skilled, or technical occupations.
Vocational education forms a part of the process of career education, which helps students choose and prepare for a career. In kindergarten and elementary school, career education provides information about various jobs and helps children determine their own abilities and interests. In middle school or junior high school, students begin to explore the careers that interest them most. In high school, most students who plan to get a job immediately after graduation take some type of vocational education. About 75 per cent of all high school graduates take at least one course designed to provide preparation for a specific occupation.
