The Bandwagon Once More: Vocational Preparation for High-Tech Occupations

Abstract

In recent months, high-tech industry has been hailed as the solution to the nation's unemployment and international competition problems and the salvation of economically declining regions of the country. Community colleges have responded by establishing new vocational education programs to prepare students for jobs in high-tech industry. Utilizing data from the state of Texas, Norton Grubb examines the ability of high-tech industry to provide jobs for graduates of these programs. He also discusses the historical role of vocational education in national policy and the problems which may result from the attempt to prepare students for specific jobs rather than for careers. Grubb concludes by warning that the growth of high-tech industry may lead to the development of programs which, for the time being serve the interests of industry but which ultimately weaken the educational mission of the community college.