Professional vs technical courses: differences and how to choose the ideal one
After finishing high school, many young people wonder what to do next. After all, there is no shortage of training options for those who want to enter the job market, right? This is the case with vocational courses , technical courses and undergraduate courses.
The first two, in particular, tend to cause confusion for those who are not familiar with the names and do not know how to distinguish between them. That is why we decided to help you with this issue! Here you will see what both propose, the differences and the benefits that each one provides. Follow along and find out more!
What are professional training courses?
These are free courses designed to prepare you to work in a professional capacity, such as a cook, electrician, baker, confectioner, painter, and so on. To do so, they introduce you to the field and teach you the main activities you will perform on a daily basis. This way, when you complete them, you will have a resume that will help you get a job in the market .
It is important to keep in mind that this is not a higher education course (such as a degree) or even a secondary education course (technical). Therefore, even people who have not completed basic education can take it.
Another important point is that being of legal age is not a requirement. Typically, most of these courses allow young people aged 16 and over to enroll.
Characteristics of professional courses
Professional training courses can be found in person or online, depending on the institution where they are offered. They can last up to 600 hours, so it is possible to complete them in just a few months.
They do not have a curriculum. Shorter courses have classes divided by topics, while longer courses are divided into content modules. When you finish your course, you receive a certificate of completion attesting that you completed it successfully.
Characteristics of technical courses
Technical courses are generally offered in person. This is due to the practical learning that is frequently experienced in classes. In addition, they last longer, ranging from one to two years.
This type of training has a curriculum made up of different subjects and, not infrequently, also has supervised internships that must be completed by students.
Upon completing the course, you will receive a technical diploma recognized by the MEC (Ministry of Education) that enables you to enter higher education. With this diploma, you can apply for positions in company selection processes and even participate in mid-level public examinations for government agencies, entities and institutions.
Benefits of vocational courses
Among the advantages, we can mention the greater ease of access to professional training courses, since high school is not required to take them. In addition, they cover a wide age range for the target audience, from 16 to 34 years old, on average. Another difference is the length of training. As already mentioned, the duration is only a few months — usually around six.
It is also worth highlighting that professional training can offer support for building a CV and preparing for job interviews.
Benefits of technical courses
The advantage of technical courses is that they are shorter than undergraduate courses ( technologist , bachelor’s degree and undergraduate degree), which can last up to six years. Furthermore, access to them is simplified, since there is no need to go through any candidate selection process. All that is required is to meet the central requirement of having completed high school.
Finally, as students of these courses can apply for specific positions, including public competitions , it is possible to have a greater financial return and even job stability.
How to choose the best course for you
Before anything else, you need to consider what professional activity you want to pursue. This is important because it is the area that will determine whether it is available as a technical or professional course. However, if you are unsure between two courses of the same level, you can consider the differences between them.
For example, the duration, the format of the classes and the cost of the monthly fee. It is also interesting to check which of the segments has the best absorption of recent graduates, which of them has the best pay, which has the most selections or competitions (in the case of mid-level professions), etc.
So, is the difference between vocational and technical courses clear ? As we have emphasized throughout the post, both have advantages and contribute to the goal of those who want to quickly enter the job market. Therefore, it is important to compare them and analyze which one brings more benefits to you.
Remember that you can always invest in continuing education, going to college in the future to take ever greater steps in your professional journey.