Features of Vocational Education

The features or characteristics of anything are marks of identity for that thing. They refer to those distinguishing and special traits that make something whatever it is and different from all other things no matter how similar.

Vocational education has some clearly noticeable features that should make it what it is expected to be. In other words in TVE the following features should prevail:

• The training environment for Vocational Education should replicate the working environment itself; or the actual working environment (same tools, machines, tasks, procedures, operations, etc) 
• The training should be directly and specifically job-oriented; i.e. each task should be done in the same way it is expected to be done at the place of work.
• The trainees (students) should be specifically trained on the manipulative and thinking habits required in the real working situation. 
• This type of education should help the students to maximize their interests, abilities, aptitudes and potentials. Consequently training should be given to those who need it, want it and are able to benefit from it. 
• Adequate repetitive training in tasks and experiences from the place of work should be used to establish the right habits of doing and thinking to the degree necessary or acceptable for employment. 
• The teacher should be a master of the knowledge and skills that he teaches. 
• The training should be continued to the point where the students acquire a productive ability with which they can gain and retain an employment. 
• A vocational education programme must strive to meet the requisite market demands for labour (acceptable standard) in a given occupation. There should also be enough room for improving set standards.
• Education and training should be given on actual jobs not just on simulated and pseudo jobs. 
• Vocational education curriculum contents should be generated by masters and successful practitioners of the occupation; not from ordinary theorists. 
• Vocational education and training should emphasize functional and specific body of content materials relevant to each occupation. 
• Vocational education should meet the peculiar training needs of any group whenever and however they require it; and hope to benefit maximally from it. 
• The training in vocational education should consider the peculiar characteristics of those it serves – in terms of choice of instructional methods and personal relationship with them. 
• The administration of vocational education should be elastic, fluid and flexible. Unnecessary rigidity should be avoided. 
• Vocational Education is capital intensive. Therefore, the funds invested in training must at least be adequate for good training to be done. 

Adapted from Prosser & Qugley (1949).

4.0 CONCLUSION

The objectives of vocational education as they relate to the national goals of Nigeria are vital. It is, therefore necessary for you to know the features they make that make vocational education a career-oriented field of study.