There are many different options for getting career training. The best way for you to train for careers depends on each specific career and field. Some of the most effective ways to get career training is through vocational schools, internships and jobs with training included.
On-the-job training can help you train in a specific career field as you're gaining experience and earning a salary. Stock clerks, general maintenance workers, personal assistants and telemarketers are often given paid training on the job, but most other career occupations require at least some academic or vocational education first. By researching a list of possible careers you're interested in, and comparing their educational requirements with how you'd likely to be trained on the job, you can narrow down your career training options.
Once you have a list of possible career options in which you'll also be trained while you're getting paid, you can contact companies in these fields to arrange quick informational interviews. An informational interview is when someone interested in a specific career asks a few questions of the human resources department or others working in a related business. It isn't the time to ask for a job in the company, but rather to find out information about a career and what the company looks for when hiring employees. It's quite reasonable to ask a few questions about the career training the company offers during an informational interview.
Getting an internship may provide another possibility for you to receive career training. If you're in a career education program, or just completing one, your school may be able to help you locate a suitable internship opportunity. Keep in mind that while internships always offer experience and usually an entry-level work reference on a resume, an internship may not necessarily include large-scale career training. As internships are short-term, companies don't want to spend a lot of time or effort on training temporary workers. An internship does usually provide networking opportunities and these may lead to referrals to other training possibilities.
Vocational schools typically train and educate their students in a career. You may be able to find vocational school programs that offer career training in the form of a practicum. A practicum is on-the-job work experience at a company that relates to the field you're training in. Vocational school education and training may be taken online or on site. When choosing from the different training options, be sure to base your final decision on which type will help you get started and succeed in your chosen career.
