Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or in various jobs such as a trade or a craft. Vocational education is sometimes referred to as career and technical education. A vocational school is a type of educational institution specifically designed to provide vocational education.
Vocational education can take place at the post-secondary, further education, and higher education level; and can interact with the apprenticeship system. At the post-secondary level vocational education is often provided by highly specialized trade Technical schools, community colleges, colleges of further education (UK), universities, as well as Polytechnic Institutes (Institutes of technology).