The American School-to-Work Transition:
What Are the Options?
 
The traditional and most widely accepted sequence for an American education is continuous schooling from kindergarten through graduation after twelfth grade, after which students often continue on to college.  Yet this is not possible for everyone, and does not work for all adolescents.  In fact 75% of kids in the U.S. start work without a college degree (Hopkins, Naumann, & Wendel, 1999).  The problem  is that these kids have been taught only theory in the schools and are lacking the specific job skills necessary to succeed.  This review will:
    • explain the current problems with the American school-to-work transition 
    • explore three college alternatives
    • discuss some outcomes of the different ways to make the transition


    This website is designed for YOU, the high school student, looking to make important decisions that will impact your future.
     

School-to-Work Transition: The Problems
 
American high schools do not socialize their youth to make a smooth transition into work.  Adolescents are not learning how to live in a world of adults and how to handle the responsibilities that come with it (financial matters, good work habits, independence).  Even worse, many teenagers, especially those with disadvantaged backgrounds, drop out of high school without maximizing on the opportunities it does offer (Hopkins et al., 1999). Here are some other facts about youth and work:
    • many youth are unemployed
    • jobs that some students hold during high school have little connection to their future career
    • kids work less frequently in skilled jobs and more often in sales and food services, which account for 50% of adolescent labor positions (Stern & Nakata, 1989). 


    Something needs to be done to prepare high schoolers for the professional/skilled working world.  There are a few options that do not receive enough attention.    Work learning through vocation education, direct experience through apprenticeships, and enrollment in technical preparation programs are three important options to consider (Hopkins et al., 1999).  There is no need to wait until after graduation day to start preparing for a career.  The choices just mentioned can help you  make a smoother transition from school to work without going through the university. 

The following is a few basic questions and answers that can guide you through exploring your options and finding a route that works for you.  Follow the links to obtain information on some of the countries best college alternatives.
Vocational Education
 

What is Vocational Education?

 Vocational Education is the oldest operating program available.  It offers something other then the traditional pathway for adolescents.  It promotes special skill training so kids leave school with knowledge of something other than the textbook. 


Who is it for?

For those who are hands-on learners or prefer manual interaction, vocational education classes have been proven to be more interesting (Grubb, 1989)


Why should I choose this option?

This type of learning offers the chance for students to pick up skills that will be beneficial in a semi-skilled job or trade that they want to pursue after high school.  It also teaches them better working skills and attitudes which will help them when working with adults (Grubb, 1989). 


Can I get some type of degree from this program?

 A last point to make about this type of program is that it has potential to be followed up at a community college or with an Associate's degree.  Just because vocational education prepares you for work does not mean that students enrolled in vocational education can not go on to higher learning.
Apprenticeships
 

What is an apprenticeship?

Where the vocational education program focuses on learning a trade while in school, apprenticeships are on-the-job learning after high school graduation.  Apprenticeships are a contract between a student and a master of the craft he wishes to learn. 


What are the requirements?

To engage in this program, one must be at least sixteen years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent (Beckett, 2000). 


What will I get out of it?

The starting salary is at fifty percent of the craftsman's wages (Beckett, 2000).  The salary increases as new skills are learned and more experience gained (Beckett, 2000).  Apprenticeships are often two year programs and may result in an Associate's degree.


Are apprenticeships legitimate and valued by the government and prospective employers?

Yes, the government recognized the validity of Apprenticeships by instigating the Federal Committee on Apprenticeships which continues to set guidelines.  It was set up to coordinate apprenticeships and replace the skilled laborer shortage that came with World War Two.  For example, one standard set the average apprenticeship's length at two thousand hours of work in the specific trade to become certified and recognized in the field (Beckett, 2000). 


How do apprenticeships affect the transition from school-to-work?

Apprenticeships are a great way to transition into adulthood by practicing in the work place while taking a few classes to continue with education.  Because an apprenticeship teaches job skills while offering individualized instruction, it provides continuity in the school-to-work transition.
Technical Preparation Programs
 

What are Tech Prep Programs?

This technical preparation is in some ways a combination of vocational education and the apprenticeship program. The adolescent completes high school while focusing on a trade and then goes on to pursue learning at a technical school or community college which integrates formal learning with specialized training (Law 1994). 


How long will it take me to complete the program?

It is a four or six year plan beginning in high school and working towards a skilled or semi skilled profession without attending a four year college.  Usually the student begins in either ninth or eleventh grade and continues through grade fourteen (Law 1994).  Sometimes, after graduating from the high school's tech prep program,  adolescents engage in a two year apprenticeship instead of continuing on to a community or tech school. 


Who should become involved in these programs?

For technically minded students, these programs offer a more practical and hands on route through high school or en route to a career.  Many participants in these programs are kids who do not want to go to college immediately but are motivated towards finding a skilled job that they are trained for and enjoy.


How would tech prep help me in the real world?

This idea of technical preparation during and following high school is beneficial because it allows a student to gradually take on adult roles, pursue a career cluster of courses, and integrate classes (Fagan & Lumley 1997).  It is a respected entrance into a craft without stepping foot in a formal university.  Tech prep programs also ease the transition to work by establishing relationships between students and future employers.


Why should I consider a technical job?

These less traditional alternatives to college should not be overlooked.  Jobs are moving away from unskilled manual labor and towards skilled work due to the increase in technology (Fagan 1997).  Instead of looking for traditional employees with strong bodies to do hard physical work, employers need people with specialized mental capacities (like computer technicians).  In fact, 56% of the jobs on the market are for skilled employees who must be trained but do not need a four year degree (Fagan & Lumley 1997).
Other Information
 
What kind of salaries might I expect from a semi-skilled or trained position without a degree and how does this compare with other degrees? 
Well, here are a few examples from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Reports from 1998:

Men over age 25 in a full time job make an average of:

  • $23,958 without a high school diploma
  • $31,477 with a high school diploma
  • $36,934 with some college education but no degree
  • $40,274 with an Associate's degree
  • $51,405 with a Bachelor's degree
  • $62,244 with a Master's
  • $75,078 with a Doctorate
Women over age twenty five in a full time job make an average of: 
  • $16,482 without a high school diploma
  • $22,780 with a high school diploma
  • $27,420with some college education but no degree
  • $29,924 if they had an Associate's degree
  • $36,559 with a Bachelor's degree
  • $45,283 with a Master's
  • $57,796 with a Doctorate
What Does It All Mean?
These technical and vocational programs offer a new solution to the old problem 'what will I do after high school?'.  If college is not an option, any of these choices offer skill and trade learning with flexibility concerning when and how you enter the work force.  Apprenticeships, vo-tech schools and tech prep programs socialize adolescents by moving them slowly and competently towards their adult roles. 

One thing to consider when choosing which path to follow is the monetary outcome of your choice.  Although college graduates do make more money on average, highly skilled technicians have room to move up the financial ladder.  Also, choosing to opt out of college in the present does not eliminate it from the future.
 
 


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