Vocational education is founded on several key principles: 1) It aims to meet national economic needs by providing skills training for individuals and families as well as national defense. 2) Public schools are responsible for vocational preparation of youth and adults through programs attuned to labor market needs. 3) Vocational education requires a basic education foundation and cooperation between education, business, and industry to define program goals.

1. Principles of
Vocational
Education

2. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION:
Vocational education is a national concern.
 Labor, education, business, industry, agriculture,
and the public supported the economic need for a
national framework of vocational education.
Vocational education provides for the
common defense and promotes the general
welfare.
 The effectiveness of vocation education in
improving the economic welfare of individuals and
families, and in providing the base of skills for
defense of the nation, has been consistently
demonstrated during periods of war and peace.

3. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES CON.:
Vocational preparation of youth and adults is
a public school responsibility.
 The democratization of public school brought with
is a favorable consensus on the need for
vocational education in the public school system
Vocational education requires a sound basic
education.
 The technical age has consistently place a
premium on a sound basic education for all
students. The design of vocational education has
always reinforced this assumption.

4. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES CON.:
Vocational education is planned and
conducted in close cooperation with business
and industry.
 The concept of an advisory committee as a means
of keeping programs attuned to the needs of
business and industry illustrates the cooperative
dimension of program planning.
Vocational education provides the skills and
knowledge valuable in the labor market.
 Program content is based upon analysis of the
needs for the labor market. Placement and follow
up studies test the degree to which the product of
the program (the student) adjusts and makes
progress in the job.

5. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES CON.:
Vocational education provides continuing
education for youth and adults.
 The outreach of vocational education through the
trade extension and other adult vocational
programs has contributed significantly to the
“industrial intelligence” of the labor force. The
problem of retraining and lifelong learning is a
foundation element in the structure of vocational
education.
Source: Vocational Education: Concepts and Operation 1982,
Calhoun and Finch

6. PRINCIPLES OF PRESENT DAY
VOCATIONAL EDUCATTION:
Vocational education is the right of everyone
who desires and can profit by it, and it is the
responsibility of the schools to provide for it
within the curriculum.
 This principle precludes program limitations as
they now exist in many instances, and establishes
the need for a broader and more inclusive
vocational program based upon the individual
needs and work opportunities. Such planning
establishes the base for the school to become
responsible for the student in transition to the
next level of education or work.

7. PRESENT DAY PRINCIPLES
CON.:
Vocational education is a continuous process
from early childhood throughout life.
 The process can be roughly divided into four
phases which prescribe themselves to general
levels of education. The types of programs which
are appropriate and can be planned for each level
are
 informational and orientation
 orientation and exploratory
 exploratory and preparation
 upgrading and retraining

8. PRESENT DAY PRINCIPLES
CON.:
Vocational
education, like
general education, is
a responsibility of
the total school and
cannot be limited to
a single discipline or
department.
Vocational education
programs can be
developed which serve
as nonblocking career
ladders, and they can
be planned to be
consonant with the
goals of both general
and vocational functions
of education.
Source: Vocational Education: Concepts and Operations,
Calhoun, C.C. and Finch, A.V. 1982 page 64-65

9. PRINCIPLES OF PROGRAM
OPERATION AND DESIGN
FOR VOCATIONAL
EDUCAITON.

10. PRINCIPLES AND PEOPLE:
Guidance
 essential component of
vocational education
Lifelong learning
 promoted through
vocational education
Needs
 needs of the community
are reflected by
programs of vocational
education
Placement
 the next step as a
responsibility of
vocational education
Open to all
 vocational education is
open to all
Special Needs
 individuals with special
needs are served through
vocational education
Student Organizations
 teachers of vocational
education are both
professionally and
occupationally competent
Work Ethic
 a positive work ethic is
promoted through
vocational education.

11. PRINCIPLES AND A PHILOSPHY FOR
VOCATION EDUCATION:
Career and Prevocational Education
 The career awareness and prevocational education
components of career education compliment
vocational education.
Comprehensive Education
 Vocational education is part of the public system
of comprehensive education.
Curriculum
 Curricula for vocational education are derived from
requirements in the world of work.

12. PRINCIPLES AND A PHILOSPHY FOR
VOCATION EDUCATION con.:
Families of occupation
 Bases for developing curricula for vocational
education at the secondary level.
Innovation
 Stressed as a part of vocational education.
Job entry
 Persons are prepared for at least job entry
through vocational education.
Safety
 Paramount in vocational education.
Supervised Occupational Experience
 Provided through vocational education.

13. PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES:
Advice seeking-
 Advice from the community is sought in providing
vocational education.
Articulation and Coordination-
 Central to the purpose of vocational education.
Evaluation-
 A continuous process in vocational education.
Follow-up-
 A vital extension of vocational education.
Legislation-
 Federal legislation for vocational education is a
reflection of national priorities.

14. PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES con.:
Planning-
 Comprehensive planning is stressed in vocational
education.
Research-
 Research on a continuing basis is fundamental to
the dynamics of vocational education.
Source: Principles and Philosophy of vocational education 1985,
Melvin Miller