What is a Technical School?
Are you ready for higher education but not sure which one to pick? Consider technical schools as an alternative to a 4-year university. Technical schools are academic institutions that offer specialized curriculums to help you in growing industries. Whether you are interested in healthcare, business, hospitality, construction, or many other vocations, you can find educational training at a technical school. Attending technical school is one of the best ways to maximize your career options and gain new skills.
Attending a technical school immerses you in the classroom, helping you gain the practical knowledge needed to enter the workforce. They also provide fundamental skills needed to thrive and grow in the workplace.
What Programs Do Technical Schools Offer?
Technical schools offer many specialized programs in high-demand industries. Completing your education will make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. Program options include:
Beauty and Wellness
The beauty and wellness industry is in demand because of the constant evolution of esthetic practices and the thriving social media world. Completing a beauty and wellness program can lead to careers in salons, barbershops, nail salons, and med spas.
Technological and scientific advancements have led to new and highly effective procedures and treatments. Consequently, salons and spas need well-trained and knowledgeable professionals to perform these procedures safely and effectively.
Beauty and wellness courses will help you develop the practical skill to administer treatments. You will also build the soft skills to help clients determine their appearance goals.
Business
Business programs can prepare you for administrative roles in many professional settings. Whether at a large corporation or sole proprietorship, businesses need skilled professionals to keep the company running smoothly.
Your coursework will include business operation fundamentals and best practices, business software like Microsoft Word and Excel, and vital roles like scheduling, accounts payable/receivable, and payroll. Business programs also prepare you for managing workflows in an office environment and give you the confidence to engage your coworkers and clients.
Computers
Computer programs can prepare you for jobs in the Information Technology (IT) industry. Technology is vital to the health of every business, making IT professionals essential to keep employees productive. Computer programs teach the fundamentals of system operation, networking, software installation, maintenance, and hardware setup.
The training will prepare you for hands-on roles providing IT support for internal departments or service providers who contract IT support to businesses.
Construction Trades
Completing a construction trades program at a technical school will help you develop the foundational knowledge to enter the industry. Coursework varies by specialty, but instructors focus on developing the practical skills needed to work on job sites. Your education will help you to read and interpret schematics and blueprints, operate tools, and complete the core functions of the role.
Healthcare
Everyone requires healthcare throughout their life, making the industry resistant to economic shifts. The need for practitioners, who provide direct patient care, and support staff, who handle the administrative aspects of healthcare, is expected to grow as the population ages.
Completing a healthcare program will prepare you for medical assistant, phlebotomist, and other hands-on patient care roles that require scientific knowledge and practical skills to render procedures.
Those interested in administrative positions can pursue medical billing and coding programs that deal with the healthcare reimbursement cycle. Medical billers and coders process healthcare data into standardized invoices, communicate with insurers, and collect payments. They are a vital aspect of the healthcare industry that secures revenue, keeping practitioners accountable by enforcing documentation standards.
How Long Are Most Programs at a Technical School?
Technical schools shape their curriculum to help you quickly enter the workforce. Most programs can be completed in less than one year. Plus, instructors understand the real-world demands you will face in the workplace, so they help you build the skills to make you an effective employee.
If necessary, you can tailor your schedule around family and work commitments to ensure a functional balance between schoolwork and home life. This allows you to meet your responsibilities while excelling at your program.
What Are the Benefits of Attending a Technical School vs a 4-year College?
Traditional 4-year colleges require diverse coursework in many unrelated subjects. This helps students form a broad knowledge base. Some four-year programs have rigorous and rigid structures to prepare you for one role within an industry.
Technical schools focus on skill development and leveraging real-world scenarios to prepare you for the workforce. Administrators help you gain the expertise needed to fulfill your role and grow. For many individuals, attending a technical program provides a clear and more direct pathway to a career.
Online Courses
Some programs, including medical billing and coding, can be completed online. The convenience of online classes allows you to reduce your commute, freeing up time to study and meet your day-to-day responsibilities with work and family. In addition, as the availability of remote work expands, completing coursework online and electronically communicating with your instructors can help further prepare you for your job role.
Smaller Class Sizes
4-year institutions may have hundreds of students in a single class. It’s easy to feel isolated in such large classes, making connecting with the material and asking questions difficult. Instructors must move briskly and may not devote adequate time to topics.
Technical schools limit class sizes to ensure you feel connected and that each individual can engage in skill-building activities through hands-on learning. Smaller class size also allows you to collaborate with peers to support one another through coursework and assignments.
Get to Know Instructors Personally
Instructors at 4-year colleges teach multiple classes and may have hundreds of students. As a result, they rely on teaching assistants to answer student questions, proctor tests, and review assignments.
Technical school instructors are industry professionals with years of experience in the field. They understand the real-world demands of the profession. Their passion for the industry and teaching translates into a deeper investment in your success.
The smaller class size and focused nature of the coursework lead to stronger bonds between teachers and students. In many cases, instructors provide mentorship and career guidance to help you prepare for the nuances of your industry and the potential challenges you will face as you enter the workforce.
Quicker Completion with Fewer Electives
While students at 4-year colleges must complete elective coursework unrelated to their majors, technical schools streamline their curriculums to help you develop high-level competency. Beyond devoting more time to the coursework related to your career path, fewer elective requirements shorten the duration of the technical program.
Career Services
4-year colleges focus on graduate study and further education. While technical schools measure their success on job placement. They have robust career services departments to help you identify quality job opportunities in your community.
Advisors help you write resumes and prepare for interviews. This helps to maximize your ability to seek a job in the industry. Many technical schools also have strong connections with local business communities, helping them connect you with job opportunities.
Technical College Programs
Ready to move from the classroom to a career? Florida Technical College is here to help. Contact us to learn more about completing a degree or diploma program at Florida Technical College.
NUC University (NUC) is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) www.msche.org. NUC’s NUC University – IBC Technical Division (NUC-IBC), NUC University – Florida Technical College (NUC-FTC), and The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School (The DAVE School) are included in this accreditation. NUC’s accreditation status is Accreditation Reaffirmed. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status in 2019 was to reaffirm accreditation. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
*These examples are intended to serve only as a general guide to possible employment opportunities. Many factors determine the job an individual may obtain and Florida Technical College cannot guarantee its graduates any particular job. Some positions may require a license, degree, experience, or other industry certifications. We encourage you to research the requirements for the particular position you desire