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Career Colleges and Vocational Schools in Costa Rica

About Career Colleges and Vocational Schools in Costa Rica

Not everyone's educational aspirations require a four-year college degree, and this is why career colleges and vocational schools are still very important parts of the education system, especially in nations such as Costa Rica. As opposed to the broad and general nature of the educational programs at traditional universities, career colleges and vocational schools offer a different type of education that is no less important than a four-year degree.

Career colleges and vocational schools provide work-specific or field-specific education and hands-on training. Your studies will be both book-based and practical, and your program will be directly focused on the skill(s) you are seeking to obtain. Unlike traditional colleges, you will not learn general subjects, your training is focused on mastering a particular skill. Most of these institutions are post-secondary educational institutions, which means you go to a career college or vocational school after finishing high school.

These programs culminate with the earning of a certificate, which is proof that you have mastered the skills and knowledge needed to work within your particular field, or at a particular job. Sometimes these are called job training programs, as they are tailored to whatever it is you wish to do, career wise. These programs do not take as much time as traditional degrees and in Costa Rica, it typically takes three years to complete a career college or vocational school program.

Programs such as these, with a specific focus, as opposed to providing general education, give students the skills they need to move into the job field with the skills and tools they will need. Career colleges and vocational schools are a vital part of the Costa Rican educational system, as they train workers for high tech and in demand jobs, giving them the skills they need to succeed in their job field of choice. Most of these programs are offered in the largest city in this Central American country, San Jose.

Home to a million people, San Jose is the center of cultural, economic, and educational activity in Costa Rica. These schools are vital parts of the economic structure, as they train the newest generation the skills and tools they will need to succeed in a rapidly developing economy, and a world where technology continues to improve by leaps and bounds with each passing year. Most of the offerings at career colleges and vocational schools are focused on the most in demand career tracts, as well as those that are technical in nature. These programs are still located predominately in urban areas, limiting the access of this type of job training for rural residents. Efforts to improve distance and online education programs hopes to help close this gap.

For the people of Costa Rica, career colleges and vocational training offer a way to obtain job-specific education and training that will give them the skills they need to work in the latest and most in demand occupations. There are a wide variety of programs available, helping students learn the latest technical skills that will help them to land a good paying job.