What is a Career College?
A career college, also known as a technical school, is a type of educational institution that trains students for a specific career field. It focuses solely on providing job-specific skills for the purpose of obtaining employment instead of providing an overall college degree. Career colleges provide short-term certificate, diploma and degree programs with an emphasis on hands-on training.
Benefits of a Career College
- Accelerated Training: Career college programs can typically be completed in a short amount of time — often between one and two years — versus the four years of a full-time degree program.
- Job Placement: Many career schools provide job placement assistance to their students to help them land their first job in the field.
- Focused Education: Unlike traditional college, wherein students often take courses in unrelated fields, career schools are focused solely on the field of study they are offering.
Drawbacks of a Career College
- Limited Career Options: A career college provides training for a specific field, so if you’d like to pursue a career in something else, you may need to go back to school.
- Less Flexible: Career college programs often don’t offer the same flexibility as traditional college programs. Many career college classes are full-time, during working hours, making them difficult to balance with a full-time job.
- Lower Quality Education: A career college may not offer the same quality of higher education as a four-year college or university.
In conclusion, career colleges are a great option if you are looking for a quick and focused education in a specific field. However, you should weigh the pros and cons carefully to decide if a career college is right for you.
