Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Yoshiyuki]

I have been wondering if a vocational institue is the same kind as a Japanese equivalent called "SENMON GAKKOU", which a school where people study and gain knowledge and skills for their future careers mainly after finishing high school education; some people study there after or while going to university in order to pass CPA's test or whatever. If there's anyone who is familiar with Japanese educational system, please help me. Would anyone tell me anything different or similar, if any, among the two? Do community colleges in the U.S. give similiar service to the students?
Thank you in advance.
Yoshiyuki

[BMO]

I havn't heard of vocational institute for quite a while.
Community colleges in California:

1. Two-year colleges train students in different vocations - nursing, computer technology, dental assisting, drafting, massage technique, pharmacist assistingetc. Graduates get an A.A. (associate degree)

2. Graduates can transfer to a four-year college upon graduation. They will go in as junior.

Trade schools (private):

No degrees. Credits do not count toward a degree anywhere, but they train people in everything - book keeping, accounting, truck driving, everything. (Some are corresponding schools. De Vries is pretty good in computer field. Some are dishonest.)

Senmom gakkou, speciality school, is probably much more prestigious than trade school. Are they public?

[bud]

I haven't heard of vocational "institutes," but in the US we have vocational schools. They are alternatives to high schools for those who do not wish to pursue academic fields. Instead of a lot of classes in science and history, for example, they learn trades such as car repair or carpentry.

BMO described well some other educational possibiliteis in the US.

[Yoshiyuki]

Hi, BMO. Thanks for your information in detail on community colleges and trade schools. Now I understand there are both similar and different aspects between them and Japanese "speciality schools". Japanese speciality schools are mostly private but some of those of very limited fields like nursing and technology are public. Most of those schools do not promise college credits in the future except some that has some kind of linkage to colleges and univerities.
Thank you again .
Yoshiyuki

[BMO]

Your are welcome.

[Yoshiyuki]

Thank you , bud, for information on vocational schools. I didn't know they are an alternative to high schools. When I visited some high schools in the US, I watched some classes, in one of which students were learning about car repairs and the stuff. So do students learn that kind of skills either at a voacational school or at a high school? Any differences between the two?
Yoshiyuki

[bud]

You're welcome, Yoshiyuki.

It could be either. Academic high schools have elective classes called "Shop." There you could learn things like car repair, carpentry, metal working, etc. The differences are that at an academic high school, those classes are a small part of the day and not all students choose them as an elective. These students usually plan on going to college.

At a vocational school, most of their day is spent in those types of classes and all the students are there to take those classes. Those students are trying to learn a trade, not go on to college.

[Yoshiyuki]

Hi,bud. Thanks again for your information. It has made everything clear to me.