A vocational training project is an endeavor organized to train and prepare a specific population for self-sufficiency through employment. Both governmental and private organizations sponsor vocational training projects and typically target certain groups and classes of people for these programs. Depending on the nature of the program as well as available resources, a vocational training project may offer vocational training assessments, classes, and ongoing support for program graduates. In some cases, participants in a vocational training project may develop and operate a business, while in other cases participants may be trained in various trades or professions so that they can obtain employment on their own.
Some groups of people may have difficulty finding and obtaining employment due to cultural issues, poverty, or disability. Other groups of people who may benefit from a vocational training project include displaced homemakers, people who have been convicted of a crime, or people who have a history of gang or drug involvement. As these groups of people may face discrimination and may not have had opportunities for job training or experience, a vocational training project may be their best hope for getting a job and being able to support themselves. In some cases, a vocational training project may have relationships with area businesses into which it can place participants. In the United States as well as in other countries, there are sometimes tax benefits for hiring people who have been unemployed for long periods of time or who have recently been released from jail, and the leadership of vocational projects may be very proactive in notifying community businesses of this fact.
Each vocational training project is organized according to the financial and human resources available for operating the project. In some cases, participants may be able to undergo a vocational assessment that can help them identify their strengths and weaknesses and direct them to a trade or profession that suits them. These participants may then be provided with opportunities to complete vocational training and receive job coaching and placement support through the program. The program may also provide additional services to participants while they are enrolled, including housing, childcare, and other types of material support.
Some vocational training projects emphasize immediate participation in employment rather than sending participants to school. These projects often operate as businesses that employ program participants. Through the program, participants obtain actual job experience and learn new vocational skills. In addition, participants develop good work habits, such as punctuality and learning to work cooperatively with superiors and coworkers. Counseling and other supportive services may also be available to participants.
