When you were in high school, you most likely had shop class. This meant doing a project developing something by using wood, like a table, chair, or any other similar item. For those who truly love this, you have probably wondered what to do in order to become a woodshop teacher, for instance, or any other kind of vocational teacher. So what's a vocational teacher?
A vocational teacher is a person who offers instruction in technical subjects with the goal to prepare students for certain careers. If this seems appealing to you and you would like to know how to become one, keep reading to learn exactly how to achieve this.
There are some universities and colleges that provide bachelor’s programs available. These are for those who finish high school to prepare them for teaching licensure in a vocational career or education. It also includes technical education (CTE) certification.
Other CTE bachelor's programs are for working professionals. In this case, you would have to show the school that you are working in the subject area that you wish to teach.
Normally, you would kick start some of these programs by completing education courses in basic subjects. These include; English, Math, Physics, History, Social Sciences, and Chemistry. The programs for high school graduates usually follow up with a couple of technical courses.
Furthermore, there are several bachelor's programs that enable you to select a concentration. Choices often include technical or industrial vocations, marketing, information technology, and the potential to complete a vocational internship.
Besides that, you will also take educational courses in instructional theory, teaching principles, assessment, and evaluation. Finally, you will likely complete a student teaching practicum.
Practically every state in the United States (this refers to other countries as well) requires teachers to obtain licensure before they can teach in public schools. Now, if you want to teach in an adult education center or private school then you may not need any license.
But what about certificates? If you're interested in something that's efficient, yet provided online, then you should opt for a certificate IV training & assessment course. With the help of this course, you’ll be able to become a skilled assessor and trainer. This shows you are capable of delivering training in the vocational education and training department.
On the other hand, if you still want to obtain a license, and have a bachelor's or master's program in vocational teacher education, you can choose to follow the traditional path. This will eventually lead to state licensure.
What does this process include? It typically includes passing all teacher proficiency tests, paying fees, and passing a criminal background check. Just bear in mind, that in some countries you'll need to take extra exams or courses.
Now, there are people who have a plethora of work experience in vocational sectors, yet they don't have a bachelor’s degree. If that’s the case with you, then you should consider applying for a vocational teacher license.
The requirements you need highly depend on where you live. Thus, make sure to get all your facts straight before you take any further steps. In most cases, you will need a few years of work experience, along with a high school diploma.
Along with these things, you will also need either a license or certificate in your line of work. You will also have to pass both practical and written tests so they can assess your knowledge and skills.
Generally speaking, these people oftentimes instruct courses in one of the sixteen career fields. Namely, in technical education and the field of career, they are also known as career clusters. Below we will enumerate what these clusters involve:
Based on the facts in this article, it’s safe to say that becoming a vocational teacher is a relatively long road that definitely requires lots of time and effort. If you weren’t familiar before with what it takes to become one, we hope that this guide has provided you with useful information.
