Whether you’re continuing your existing education or going back to school, it’s important to determine which academic setting fits your needs: a 4-year college, community college or a career training college. College shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach: everyone prefers different styles of learning, educational settings, classroom sizes, career paths, etc.

While attending a 4-year college is a wonderful decision for your future, it’s not necessarily a requirement for a lot of careers. Attending a community college or career training college may be a better choice for you depending on which area of study and career you’re interested in. With the option of either a 4-year college, community college or a career training college, it can be overwhelming to decide which is the best for you.

We’re going to highlight the differences between community college and a career training college, something we’re frequently asked to explain. But first, we will draw some parallels between these types of institutions.

Similarities

As students move away from traditional bachelor programs, they’ve begun to explore alternative means of education. This is where community and career colleges come into play. Meeting the needs of contemporary students, similarly, both community colleges and career colleges share the desire to help further your education, setting you up for a brighter future. However, that’s about where the similarities start and end.

There are a bunch of differences between community colleges and career training colleges. In what ways are they different and how do you know which is best for you? Let's explore these differences so you can determine which option is best for you.

Differences

Training

Did you know that real-world experience isn’t a required qualification for college instructors? This is one of the biggest distinctions between community colleges and career training colleges.

Unlike traditional community colleges, which prioritize academic experience, career colleges recruit instructors who have real, on-the-job experience. This is because career colleges’ singular focus is on providing specialized training that gives students the tools they need to excel in a specific career. This brings us to our next distinction - focus.

Focus

There are merits of community college. For instance, if you’re looking to further your schooling through more general education credits, community college offers just that. For many, it’s a stepping stone from highschool to a larger university.

Career colleges, on the other hand, offer quite the opposite experience. Like a boxing jab, career college is designed to be quick and effective. These programs provide specialized training and education for a specific job or field. And depending on the institute, job placement assistance is emphasized as much as the training itself. After all, what good is a career-centric education if you can’t secure work?

Structure

The structure of your education and/or training is another difference between community and career college. Staying true to community college’s more general focus, their courses aim to foster academia through lectures, discussions and papers. Consequently, this structure allows students to work through concepts at a more gradual pace.

The structure of career training college is different in that there is more of a focus on training instead of just lectures and papers. Career training colleges want you to have hands-on experience when it comes to your selected trade or industry.

Programs

On the other end of the spectrum, career colleges often have programs with more aggressive timetables. While this tends to result in fewer lectures and more hands-on training, this isn’t to say you won’t write papers or have assignments. Rather, your coursework will be structured around the career of your choice.

Are you ready to hit your education head-on? Here’s the bottom line... a career training college can help you do exactly that! If you’re sure you want to pursue a career or trade with a degree attainable at a career college and are searching for a career training college in Ohio, look no further than Ohio Business College.

At OBC, we offer high quality and convenient career education that’s accompanied by hands-on training to prepare you for the competitive job market. We offer the following programs:

• Allied Health
• Business
• Technology
• Trades (Electrician, HVAC/R, Truck Driving)

The degrees and diplomas we offer are accredited by organizations like Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools and Ohio Department of Higher Education among others.

In addition to the programs above, we also offer career workshops here at OBC. We’ll teach you the skills you need in order to advance your career and add valuable credentials to your resume. Most of our workshops are just a few hours long but they’ll prepare you to further your career and experience.

If you’d like to further your education through OBC, apply online today or request more information. One of our friendly representatives will be in contact with you shortly to discuss your education. We can’t wait to discuss your career goals and look forward to seeing you at OBC!