VOCATIONAL TRAINING VS HIGHER EDUCATION

LEAD-IN: In pairs, compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of these two paths to
further education. Consider the aspects below.

 Qualifications
 Cost
 Academic or practical focus
 Learning styles
 Job prospects
You are going to watch an interview to business reporter Sandra Smith, who breaks down the pros and
cons of vocational schools and discusses whether more teens should avoid college.Say if the following
statements are true or false. Correct the false ones.
1) 5,000,000 jobs have been lost in the US
2) According to the presenter, unemployment figures in the US are still high
3) Most of the jobs offered by Air Products require a University degree
4) Air Products recruits employees daily
5) Posts at Air Products sit vacant because college graduates don’t want to do them
6) Some of the young men interviewed didn’t go to college because they could afford it
7) Vocational training is cool in the US
8) Former president Obama fostered investment in vocational schools
9) Air Product’s CEO (Chief Executive Officer) went to college
INTERACTION: Tuition fees
Preparation time: 2 minutes
Speaking time: 4-5 minutes

1. Talk to each other about how these three statements represent different aspectsof the
consequences of the raise of tuition fees.
2. Then decide together which of the statements best reflects the most importantchallenge that the
raise of tuition fees poses for students.

To know more about college fees in the US, click the link below.
https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-us
KEY
You are going to watch an interview to business reporter Sandra Smith, who breaks down the pros and
cons of vocational schools and discusses whether more teens should avoid college. Say if the following
statements are true or false. Correct the false ones.
1) 5,000,000 jobs have been lost in the US FALSE (There have been over 5,000,000 job openings)
2) According to the presenter, unemployment figures in the US are still high TRUE
3) Most of the jobs offered by Air Products require a University degree FALSE (they require
vocational training qualifications)
4) Air Products recruits employees daily TRUE
5) Posts at Air Products sit vacant because college graduates don’t want to do them FALSE (they
don’t have the skills to do them)
6) Some of the young men interviewed didn’t go to college because they could afford it TRUE
7) Vocational training is cool in the US FALSE (it’s not glamorous)
8) Former president Obama fostered investment in vocational schools FALSE (he cut support for
them)
9) Air Product’s CEO (Chief Executive Officer) went to college TRUE