Best Vocational Programs for High School Students in 2022

Are you a parent or student looking for a vocational program for high school in 2024?

Then you will do yourself a favor if you take time to carefully look at the best vocational programs for high school students in 2024.

The reason why you need to take adequate time to decide is that these programs vary in terms of quality, time, the profession you will work in and a lot more.

You will also want to consider the job prospects for the particular program you want to enroll in.

Some traditional programs are oversubscribed yet the less common ones have fewer people enrolling in them.

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Why a vocational program is an option for you

If you are a teenager looking for a learning experience that is unique, then a vocational high school program could just be what you are looking for.

Also, if a program that includes theory only is not your cup of tea, you may find out that a vocational program is.

In this kind of program, you will study a trade or skill, such as plumbing and electrical together with the academic core requirements.

The advantage of this is that a vocational program equips you with the skills to take up a job as soon as you leave high school.

Simple. right?

Here are some career options you can look into and see if you think you see yourself in any of them:

Computers

Students studying this vocational program can choose to either concentrate on programming or repairs.

The curriculum generally follows logical steps.

Students first learn general computing and using the internet.

This will be followed by the more advanced stuff around repairing computers.

Finally, the students learn the more complicated stuff around networking.

Once the theory part is done, most vocational high schools will place the learner in an internship during the senior year.

An example of a technical high school focusing on computers is the High School of Computers and Technology. It is at 800 East Gun Hill Rd, The Bronx, in New York.

Other schools include the Academy of Innovative Technology, in Brooklyn, Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH), also in Brooklyn.

Also check out the Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology, located in Manhattan.

Architecture

As a student of architecture, in a vocational high school, you will study such subjects as mechanical drafting and more modern concepts such as AutoCAD.

Students looking for a high school where they can study architecture should try the City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology.

It is at 105 Johnson St in Brooklyn.

The Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design is on number 257 North 6^th Street also in Brooklyn.

Construction

Construction programs in high schools can be done on their own or at other times they are mixed with design.

Some of the subjects you can expect to learn in a modern vocational high school construction program will include studies in solar energy and rooftop gardens.

A good school will show a general bias towards teaching construction that cares for the environment and that uses mostly renewable energy sources.

When studying this subject students often have a chance to select other related subjects like plumbing, HVAC, or electrical.

Energy

Issues related to global warming and rising levels of people migrating from rural to urban areas have created a need for more energy.

This is the reason why studying energy has become a lucrative endeavor.

If you enroll in a technical high school focused on energy, you can expect to enter a career in building technology and engineering.

Some of the skills you will attain include ventilation, heating, and air conditioning.

By the time you graduate, you will also have learned a lot of stuff about renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind energy.

You will also learn how to make a home more energy efficient so that as little energy as possible goes to waste.

You can check out the High School for Energy and Technology.  It is at number 2474 on Crotona Avenue in Queens.

Another vocational high school in Queens is the Energy Tech High School

Fashion

Do you love everything that has to do with fashion?

Why don’t you enroll in a high school that focuses on fashion?

Some of the subjects you can expect to learn from such a high school will include the likes of fashion design, marketing, and graphics.

An example of a great vocational school you can attend is the High School of Fashion Industries.

You will find this school in Manhattan at 225 West 24^th Street.

Medical

Taking care of others can truly be rewarding, and the medical field is one of the top earners as well.

Finding careers in the medical field can be easier than you might think, professions like dental assisting have a great job outlook and might just be what you’re looking for.

Aviation

Do you find planes and everything else that flies fascinating?

Then you should be considering enrolling in a school such as the Aviation Career & Technical Education High School.

Its address is 156-10 at the Baisley Boulevard in Queens.

Schools such as this one offer an array of classes.

These include some that you may think are not related to aviation such as English, world history, and calculus.

You will spend most of your time, while studying, in laboratories.

Before completing high school, you will do an internship with airlines at the John F. Kennedy International Airport.

If you’re serious about this, how about a career in aviation management? learn more here.

Food

Students interested in food, not just eating it but also ensuring that it is well prepared for others, can enroll in a high school such as the Food and Finance High School, in Manhattan.

Such schools train chefs who work in different places.

In most cases, such high schools work in collaboration with leading hotels and catering businesses and restaurants.

Students enrolling in these kinds of programs don’t only learn how to cook well, they also learn about selecting food that is nutritious and how to prepare such food so that it is appetizing to those who will eat it.

As you can see from the programs above, there are a lot of vocational high school programs.

They are available for students who are not only just interests in the academic.

If using your hands is something that you find appealing, in 2024, the best favor you can do for yourself is to start looking at one of these vocational high schools.

See also – 8 Best Vocational School Careers for 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a vocational education program?

A vocational education program is one that focuses on preparing a student for a specific job.

The course work prepares people to work as a technician or as a craftsman with some hands-on learning as well as in classroom instruction.

This can be done at the high school level, at a junior college, or at a regular college as well as through online programs.

What is the difference between high school and vocational school?

The main difference between a vocational school and a high school is the student experience.

At high school students are given a rounded education in many areas and there is a lot of theory and general education.

At a vocational school, students learn how to do a certain job and the teacher has experience at that job.

There is more hands-on learning in a vocational setting.

How many types of vocational courses are there?

There are eight types of vocational courses, and there are classes to prepare one for almost any skilled job imaginable.

Many students start in a CTE program where they get some experience in a variety of fields.

Post-secondary is for those beyond high school.

Tech prep is for high-tech jobs.

On-the-job training, apprenticeship, and continuous education are all similar but different.

Are tech high schools worth it?

Tech high schools are valuable for students for many reasons.

In this setting, students can try out different skills and jobs that they might want to try.

They can then choose what to study.

A person could graduate high school and have the technical skills to get a good-paying job immediately.

Tech high schools may do more than standard schools in teaching practical skills.

Which types of degrees are better vocational or academic?

Vocational and academic degrees are different, and which one is better depends on what you want to do.

Vocational education is better if you want to learn a specific marketable skill that can put you to work fast.

An academic degree will have a broader scope and there may be many jobs you could qualify for once you graduate.