Career Colleges Offer Choice for Students with Technical, Vocational Goals
If you dream of designing computer animation for a living, joining a law firm as a paralegal, helping people in the health field, or becoming a gourmet chef, then a Florida career college may be for you.
A career college will prepare you to reach your career goals with focused hands-on training and real-life experience. These schools exist in convenient locations across the Florida, and offer courses and electives that complement your field of study, whether it's criminal justice or massage therapy.
Degrees are generally earned after two to four years, depending on the extent of training required, and many programs grant certificates and diplomas that take less than a year to earn.
From building custom cars like Cameron Diaz's character in the 2010 Tom Cruise movie "Knight & Day" to actually working as crew on films like "The Social Network," you can find a college in Florida that specializes in almost any career. More than 200 fields of study are available, whether it's recording engineering, Web design and development, medical insurance billing and coding, entertainment business, graphic arts, pharmacy technician, medical sonography, accounting, fashion design, culinary arts, film production, nursing or many more.
"Florida's career colleges are helping students earn higher education degrees and practical training in areas like business, nursing, and computer science that will put them in the position to jump-start their careers," says Kathy Mizereck, executive director of the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC). The association works on behalf of 370 degree granting and 550 non-degree granting schools across the state.
For many students the best way to learn something new is to do it. For example, schools like the Florida College of Natural Health in Miami offer massage therapy training with clinics and other opportunities for hours of hands-on training to make graduates more marketable to potential employers.
Full Sail University in Orlando, which has a focus on the video gaming, music and entertainment business industry, recently opened a new sports lab powered by ESPN, where students create sports-based content and intellectual property. The results will be tested in the lab for potential use across the sport network's websites, television programs and mobile applications.
Career specific programs such as these keep students connected to their goals, encouraging a high rate of graduation, Mizereck says. The U. S. Department of Education reported two-year career colleges graduate 59 percent of their students.
The job placement level is tracked, and career placement assistance is provided at career colleges.
"Eighty percent of graduates from Florida's career colleges are placed in jobs, join the military or continue with higher education," Mizereck says.
Each college must meet state regulations, with many answering to regional or national accrediting agencies, before it can award diplomas, certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees and master's degrees. Some schools require placement exams and standard achievement scores while others do not. Most will require a high school level diploma.
To find the career college that is right for you, be sure to consider cost, requirements, faculty and student body, and location. Campuses are often built with students in mind and have facilities that are attractive, well equipped and near public transportation or in areas where parking is plentiful and convenient.
Most career colleges are intended for commuters and do not offer on-campus living or sports teams. If living at home isn't in the picture, pencil in living costs along with tuition and fees when planning your budget. If you already have a job, career colleges offer flexible schedules for people looking to improve and expand their skills. Look for night and weekend classes as well as on-line courses.
It is important to research your college choices closely to determine if they offer exactly what you desire for your career training. Your criteria should include the school's accreditor, if any, and whether your earned credits will transfer if you decide to continue at another school or public university. Find out if the school is licensed by the state before you sign any papers. Ask a lot of questions. What are the qualifications of the instructors? Will the school coordinate externships? What are classes like and what is the teaching style? How much hands-on training is offered?
Cost can be a factor in pursuing any educational program. Find out the price of tuition, books, fees and commuting. Research what types of scholarships and other financial assistance the school offers. In Florida, FAPSC schools annually offer more than $1.5 million to eligible students through FAPSC-funded scholarships provided by member institutions, Mizereck says.
Your career counselor and college websites should be valuable resources when making a decision.
Plan to visit a career college campus to get a feel for whether it will be the right fit for you. Speak to students and faculty members while you are there and sit in on a class. The more you know about your choice, the more you will appreciate it and get the most out the experience.
Editorial provided by Wanda Minick, deputy executive director for member services, Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC).
