Difference Between Education and Vocational Education

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Education has a tremendous impact on individuals and on society, so much so that entire industries have been built on the development and execution of meaningful education in this country and many others. Most people agree that education is a positive thing. The legal requirement of basic education in all developed nations supports this fact. However, the role that education plays in society and in individual lives is sometimes debated. There are those who think that people should primarily be educated to perform a skilled job, otherwise known as vocational education. Others feel that the whole mind should be expanded using a broad body of general knowledge. This is considered general education. Each of these educational ideals have their own advantages and disadvantages, as well as influences on society. Considered carefully, these ideals can create the foundation of an educational experience that enables a student to reach his or her highest potential in the workplace and in life. Vocational education is as old as humanity itself. Any time young poeple are handed down essential skills for accomplishing important tasks, vocational education is occurring. From hunting and gathering to engine repair, and from grinding wheat to nuclear medicine, vocational training is, and has always been, the backbone of culture. We all must know a skill to survive. Currently, vocational education in the U.S. accomplishes several goals within a relatively short period of time. It readies people to become productive tax paying citizens that will strengthen the community and tax base. This can be done in 2-4 years, depending on the degree, A.A.S. or B.S., and involves less of a financial commitment than a general education degree. People who finish their degree can immediately enter the job market and, with periodic continuing ed. courses in their field, can stay on the cutting edge of

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