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Studies & Degrees in Work Education

Work education is the field that prepares people to teach, train and develop others for working life. It covers two connected areas. The first is teaching occupational subjects in schools and colleges, known as vocational education or, in the United States, career and technical education. The second is training adults inside companies and public bodies, often called workforce development, training and development or human resource development.

Names differ from country to country. The UNESCO-UNEVOC glossary notes that the United States prefers the term Career and Technical Education (CTE), while the European Union refers to Vocational Education and Training (VET). UNESCO's own term, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), also includes work-based learning, continuing training and professional development. Students who search for programmes should therefore try several of these names.

What students learn

Programmes combine education subjects with knowledge of workplaces. The bachelor's degree in Workforce Education and Development at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) includes courses on assessment techniques, vocational guidance, programme and facilities management, vocational education for learners with special needs and cooperative education, in which school and employer share the training. At the University of Minnesota, the Human Resource Development major covers training and development, strategies for teaching adults and organisational development, and ends with an internship at a company or organisation.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. Penn State's Bachelor of Science in Workforce Education and Development requires a minimum of 124 US credits. It has four options: Industrial Education, Occupational Home Economics, Health Occupations and Industrial Training. The degree may lead to certification as a career and technical education teacher in Pennsylvania if the other state requirements are met. The Industrial Training option does not lead to teacher certification; it is aimed at training in business, industry or manufacturing.
  • Master's degree. Penn State awards a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Workforce Education and Development. Each requires a minimum of 30 credits beyond the bachelor's degree. M.Ed. students sit a written comprehensive examination; M.S. students write a thesis or paper. In India, the Department of Adult and Continuing Education of the University of Madras, established in 1976, offers an M.A. in Lifelong Learning and an M.A. in Human Resource Management.
  • Doctorate. Penn State, the University of Minnesota and the University of Madras offer doctoral study in this field for those who want to do research or teach at university level.
  • Certificates. The University of Minnesota also has undergraduate and graduate certificates in human resource development, which are shorter than a degree.

US credits are not ECTS credits. Students who plan to use the qualification in another country should ask how it will be recognised there.

Work experience matters as much as the degree for vocational teachers. Penn State explains that, to be certified in Pennsylvania, a teacher must have enough employment experience to establish competency in the occupation to be taught. Its programme is aimed at people with a background in fields such as automotive technology, carpentry, computer programming, culinary arts, electronics, graphic arts, healthcare and HVAC.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 8 active schools for work education. Three are in the United States, and the United Kingdom, India, Guatemala, Brazil and Austria have one each. The universities on the list are Penn State in University Park (Pennsylvania), the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and the University of Madras in Chennai. Labette Community College in Parsons (Kansas) is also listed. The remaining schools are language and training centres, so ask them directly what they offer in this field.

The US programmes are taught in English. Teacher certification is regulated by each state or country, so a degree obtained abroad does not automatically allow its holder to teach in a public school at home.

Careers

Graduates work as vocational or career and technical education teachers, workplace trainers, training coordinators, instructional designers and human resource development specialists. Others manage adult education and community programmes.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 250,200 jobs for career and technical education teachers in 2025 and projects little or no change in their employment from 2025 to 2035. It counted 472,500 jobs for training and development specialists in 2025 and projects growth of 11 percent from 2025 to 2035. These figures apply to the United States only.

Frequently asked questions

Is work education the same as vocational education?

Not quite. Vocational education trains people for an occupation. Work education trains the teachers and trainers who deliver that training, in schools, colleges and workplaces.

Do I need work experience to become a vocational teacher?

Usually, yes. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, career and technical education teachers typically need at least a bachelor's degree and work experience in the subject they teach, and public school teachers may need a state certification or licence.

How long does a master's degree in this field take?

It depends on the university. At Penn State the M.Ed. and the M.S. in Workforce Education and Development each require a minimum of 30 credits beyond the bachelor's degree.

Can I work in company training without a teaching certificate?

Company training is generally not regulated in the way school teaching is. Penn State's Industrial Training option, for example, prepares students for training in business and industry and does not lead to teacher certification.