Vocational studies in the United States

Vocational studies refer to professional training programs aimed at people who wish to enter the world of work without having to complete a university studies program. So normally, to enter this type of studies, just have completed school studies (usually even high school included). The programs are usually practical, the person who enters this type of studies learns to carry out the trade he will perform in the future, rather than studying certain more academic theories.

In this sense, we find three main types of vocational studies:

• CERTIFATES: Vocational studies certificates are usually completed in a short period of time, normally in just a few months (more or less nine months). They are professional training programs that allow the person to acquire all professional competences to develop certain work through practical training rather than academic. For example, the Professional Culinary Arts Diploma or Diploma Culinary Certificate Program allows you to obtain the chef title in just 9 months. On the other hand, these types of programs do not allow access to Bachelor Degree university programs, being necessaryIn your case, access associate career programs first to be able to finally take a university career.

• Associate´s Degree or Associate Careers/Technical Grades: This type of studies are usually completed in universities, in a period of two years, and allow the student to learn all the techniques to develop a specific work (such as police or plumber). There are several types of Associates Degree: Associate of Arts (AA), more focused on areas related to science and associate of science (as), more related to science areas. The highlight in this type of studies is that they allow the person who completes them, continue with the realization of a degree or bachelor degree career, so that several subjects are validated. Salaries in the United States for people who carry out this type of studies vary from about $ 40,000 to about $ 70,000.

On the other hand, at the time the student is accepted by a university, the University sends documents to be completed to start with the visa application process. Thanks to this visa, international students, they obtain, after their studies, a period of permission to legally work in the United States like any other American.This permission is called Opt (optional practical training). The period of employment permit time varies depending on the type of studies.In this sense, the maximum employment permit period in the USA is 18 months.

Once the OPT is finished and expired, if the company decides to bet on the employee, it will be able to sponsor him to obtain an H1 visa that will allow him to remain in the country and work for 3 more years.

Next, some examples of associates or associate´s degree are named:

• Associate in Physiotherapy or Associate in Physical Therapy (ASPT-APT)
• Associate in Arts or Associate of/In Arts (AA)
• Associate in Sciences or Associate of/In Science (AS)
• Associate in Applied Arts or Associate of Applied Arts (AAA)
• Associate in Business or Associate of Applied Business (AAB)
• Associate in Applied Sciences or Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
• Associate in Arts and Sciences or Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS)
• Associate in Education or Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT)
• Associate in Business Administration or Associate of Business Administration (ABA)
• Associate in Mechanical Engineering or Associate of Engineering (AE)
• Associated in General Studies or Associate of General Studies (AGS)
• Associate in Industrial Technology or Associate of Industrial Technology (AIT)
• Associate in Occupational Studies or Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS)
• Associate in Political Science or Associate of Political Science (APS)
• Associate in Public Services or Associate of Public Service (APS)
• Associate in Computer Development or Associate of Software Development (ASD)
• Associate in Technology or Associate of Technology (AT)