What Is Government Vocational Training?

Government vocational training provides residents and citizens of a country with assistance in preparing to go to work as well as training for specific trades and professions. The availability of government vocational training depends on the resources that the government has, and eligibility for these programs varies by program policy. Typically, government vocational training is made available to people who are unemployed or who must be retrained for new types of work after a disability or their previous job becomes obsolete. In some cases, the training may also take place in institutions such as prisons or schools. Vocational training classes may be provided directly by government employees, or a government may contract with a private or public school or business to provide training to eligible clients.

In some cases, people may find themselves in need of career direction and assistance in preparing for a new job. Governments may seek to assist these individuals by providing government vocational training. The types of training available depends on a number of factors, including the need for workers in a particular trade or profession in a certain geographic area as well as the cost-effectiveness of providing the training. For example, some government vocational training programs may offer training in vocations, such as plumbing, in which the trainee must spend several years learning the trade or profession before he or she can practice. In other cases, a vocational training program may focus on preparing people for careers that do not require a long training program, such as data entry or medical assisting.

A government vocational training center may specialize in offering its services to individuals who might have difficulty securing employment, such as those who have recently been released from prison or who have been chronically unemployed for most of their lives. In addition to providing practical instruction in a trade or profession, the program may also assist participants by offering job placement services and training classes that help job hunters learn how to find a job and successfully remain employed.

In areas with high unemployment, government vocational training may also be available to individuals who may need to enhance their existing job skills or train for a new vocation. In such cases, the government may partner with existing vocational schools, colleges, and universities to provide these training services. Candidates for these programs may be able to receive this training at no or minimal charge so as to increase their chances of being reemployed.