Career diplomas are formal documents issued by a vocational or technical
school. The diploma affirms that the student has successfully completed all
course work necessary to receive this type of certification. A typical career
diploma is not focused on a broad area of expertise, as is the case with many
university degree programs. Instead, the process of earning a career diploma
involves specific training that qualifies the student for specific types of
career options.
A career diploma is not concerned with providing the student with an
education in a number of general subjects along with the core subject. The
curriculum designed for earning a particular career diploma may include some
basic educational courses such as English or basic math courses, but the focus
will be on coursework directly related to the subject matter for the diploma.
For this reason, pursuing this type of diploma at a technical school may be an
excellent educational option for people who are not inclined to attend a
university or four-year college. The student is able to focus specifically on
learning and acquiring the skills needed to function within a specific
career.
Examples of a career diploma vary from one school to another. Some common
examples of this type of certification include carpentry, home plumbing,
restaurant management, baking, and home inspection. Some schools may offer a
career diploma in office management, or customer service and support. There are
even study options such as jewelry cleaning and maintenance, and inventory
management. The coursework required to obtain the diploma mainly focuses on
classes devoted to the learning of the specific trade, with no more general
subjects included than are required for the school to be accredited by a
recognized and reputable agency.
While it was once necessary to attend live classes in order to earn a career
diploma that is no longer the case. Utilizing the Internet to attend virtual
classes in a distance learning program is now a recognized way to earn a career
diploma in a number of different career tracks. While some diplomas may be
earned completely with online study, others require a combination of in-class
time and online course work.
In addition to class work, there is sometimes the requirement to complete a
fixed number of hours actively engaged in a workplace related to the course. For
example, a student pursuing a career diploma in automotive repair may be
required to work in a garage for twenty or so hours, in addition to attending
classes and successfully completing the coursework. The combination of in-class
learning combined with practical experience in the workplace can often enrich
the learning process for the student.
One key factor to keep in
mind, when evaluating a career diploma option, is the accreditation status of
the school offering the program. Just as university degrees granted by
unaccredited institutions are generally considered inferior to degrees granted
by accredited institutions, a career diploma granted by an unaccredited
technical school is likely to be considered of lesser value, regardless of the
quality of the coursework and instruction process.
Fortunately, it is possible to locate online schools as well as brick and
mortar institutions that are fully accredited to offer career diplomas to
qualified students. While it may take some extra time, as well as more tuition
and fees to complete coursework at an accredited technical school, the diploma
will be recognized by more employers and thus increase your chances of securing
a job that is the right fit for your newly acquired
expertise.