The importance of vocational education and training for career development

When it comes to an individual being employable and setting themselves up for a successful and prosperous career, students must have the necessary skills in order to find themselves on their chosen career path. If students are unable to gain the skills required by employers, they will struggle to fill vacancies and may begin to lose confidence and this may lead to students no longer pursuing the career they once aspired to have. This is where participation in Vocational education and training can boost the career prospects of the individual and ultimately aid career development. Vocational education enables students to gain practical experience in their chosen career path before fully entering employment. This is because students who participate and finish VET programmes will leave the process equipped with relevant credentials and training, they need to enter employment and begin providing real value for their employer.  

Skill development and employability 

Vocational education and training programmes have an influential role in the skill development and employability of participants. This is because the link between employment and VET is very similar, in comparison to traditional education which often overlooks practical skills, in favour of theoretical knowledge. However, in VET students are often engaging in practical workshops, which translates into opportunities to learn hands-on practical skills related to the chosen field of the individual. The result of this is that when students transition to actual employment, they have the pre-existing skills to execute their job responsibilities straight away.  

The value of graduating with work skills 

Vocational training providers help bridge the skills gaps between work and education. This prevents students from entering the labour market with little practical experience. This creates an advantageous employability skills assessment.  With prospective employers able to easily identify the skills of the VET student, employers can be confident that the vacancy is filled by candidates who have received a quality education, in terms of experience and training.  

Building strong networks for students before graduating 

Connections and relationships can facilitate individuals finding new jobs, learning about new opportunities and providing the opportunity to further their education and build more career-based skills. Through the means of vocational education, students are able to build a strong network, with both fellow students and teachers, to enhance their learning experience and their future career development. The curation of this network happens because students spend less time engaging in individualised work in a classroom, and instead are participating in workshops alongside fellow students learning practical skills. This means VET student often naturally develop better and closer relationships with their fellow students.  

The combination of all these factors will boost the career development prospects for students. Any prospective students should consider these benefits if they are unsure of whether to begin a VET programme. 

The objective of the ENDIGI VET project is to improve the level of digital competence of VET learners to guarantee the completion of their studies and avoid their social and labour exclusion. Funded by European Commission Erasmus+ Programme.  

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