Currently, there are many people around the world pursuing higher education at universities. This has sparked debate regarding whether more should do vocational training, due to concerns about a lack of qualified workers in the job market. In this essay I aim to explain why I partly agree with this viewpoint, and discuss its benefits and drawbacks.
Firstly, vocational training offers practical experience for students while they are studying. This is particularly beneficial for those seeking work in an increasingly competitive employment market. For instance, apprenticeships in professions such as electricians offer on-the-job training, allowing students to attain valuable professional knowledge and earn money simultaneously. Additionally, the lack of skilled workers mean that positions in these fields can have many vacancies, even if such jobs are considered of a lower study level. Furthermore, given the constant advancements of technology and infrastructure worldwide, such experienced trainees can be highly sought after in order to meet the ever growing demand. Therefore, this not only proves that vocational occupations are always of importance, but also set graduates apart due to their already existing professional experience compared to their peers at university who typically lack such practical knowledge.
On the other hand, there are also some potential drawbacks regarding this approach. Despite the ability to earn salaries alongside learning their trade, blue-collar workers usually have less room for future career growth compared to bachelor degree holders. This is due to the nature of their work are often repetitive and tend not offer further advancements in their workplace. Conversely, even if university graduates finish their studies with little to no experience, the foundational knowledge from their studies mean that it can be utilized to secure promotions or job opportunities at bigger corporations alongside their work performance. For example, an accounting graduate can be granted an intership at a small firm, but through accumulated experience post graduation alongside their degree, promotions to higher positions such as head of department or a transfer to a bigger company allows for further professional advancements as well as improved salaries. Additionally, the replaceability of manual jobs through robots and machinery automation further exacerbates these long-term concerns. An example of which is growing worries over AI replacing jobs such as drivers due to the development of self-driving cars, which can put drivers out of work even when they underwent a rigorous process to attain their licenses.
In conclusion, I partly agree that there should be more people doing more vocational training. This is because it offers not just on-the-job training which is valuable for practical experience, but also to fulfill growing needs of such jobs due to technological advancements. Even when there are concerns regarding a lack of future growth and replaceability, these jobs are still crucial in today’s world involving consistent technological evolution.