THE EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY FOR SCHOOL-LEAVERS

This month, Teen Talk magazine has received many letters from secondary school
students asking about the different options for school-leavers. We've talked to
educational experts, and they think that young people should either continue their
studies at a college or university or go to a vocational school.

A. ______________________

Higher education is really for people who want formal learning in order to get an
academic degree. If you are good at certain subjects and need a degree related to
those subjects, then university is the right choice for you. Besides studying, university
students also have the opportunity to live independently, make new friends, and join
different clubs. Many students still manage to work part-time during their university
years. In addition, college or university students usually have an advantage over
students from vocational schools when it comes to further studies after a degree. They
will also have broader career options and an advantage in the job market.

B. ______________________

If you are not interested in traditional academic subjects and want to work ina specific
trade, then vocational education is the right choice for you. You will gain the practical
skills and knowledge necessary for a specific job. In addition, a vocational school may
also offer you an apprenticeship. This type of training not only provides students with
hands-on experience, but also gives them wages to cover their living costs. Most
importantly, vocational training is usually much shorter than a college or university
course. After getting their vocational qualifications, graduates can immediately start
work and earn a salary.

There are a lot of educational opportunities for school-leavers today. You can choose
from hundreds of vocational schools or higher education institutions to continue your
educational journey.
ði ˌɛʤʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl ˈʤɜːni fɔː skuːl-ˈliːvəz
ðɪs mʌnθ, tiːn tɔːk ˌmæɡəˈziːn hæz rɪˈsiːvd ˈmɛni ˈlɛtəz frɒm ˈsɛkᵊndri skuːl
ˈstjuːdᵊnts ˈɑːskɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə ˈdɪfᵊrᵊnt ˈɒpʃᵊnz fɔː skuːl-ˈliːvəz. wiːv tɔːkt tuː
ˌɛʤʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl ˈɛkspɜːts, ænd ðeɪ θɪŋk ðæt jʌŋ ˈpiːpᵊl ʃʊd ˈaɪðə kənˈtɪnjuː ðeə
ˈstʌdiz æt ə ˈkɒlɪʤ ɔː ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti ɔː ɡəʊ tuː ə vəʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl skuːl.
eɪ. ______________________
ˈhaɪər ˌɛʤʊˈkeɪʃᵊn ɪz ˈrɪəli fɔː ˈpiːpᵊl huː wɒnt ˈfɔːmᵊl ˈlɜːnɪŋ ɪn ˈɔːdə tuː ɡɛt ən
ˌækəˈdɛmɪk dɪˈɡriː. ɪf juː ɑː ɡʊd æt ˈsɜːtᵊn ˈsʌbʤɪkts ænd niːd ə dɪˈɡriː rɪˈleɪtɪd tuː
ðəʊz ˈsʌbʤɪkts, ðɛn ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti ɪz ðə raɪt ʧɔɪs fɔː juː. bɪˈsaɪdz ˈstʌdiɪŋ,
ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti ˈstjuːdᵊnts ˈɔːlsəʊ hæv ði ˌɒpəˈʧuːnəti tuː lɪv ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəntli, meɪk
njuː frɛndz, ænd ʤɔɪn ˈdɪfᵊrᵊnt klʌbz. ˈmɛni ˈstjuːdᵊnts stɪl ˈmænɪʤ tuː wɜːk
pɑːt-taɪm ˈdjʊərɪŋ ðeə ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti jɪəz. ɪn əˈdɪʃᵊn, ˈkɒlɪʤ ɔː ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti
ˈstjuːdᵊnts ˈjuːʒʊəli hæv ən ədˈvɑːntɪʤ ˈəʊvə ˈstjuːdᵊnts frɒm vəʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl skuːlz
wɛn ɪt kʌmz tuː ˈfɜːðə ˈstʌdiz ˈɑːftər ə dɪˈɡriː. ðeɪ wɪl ˈɔːlsəʊ hæv ˈbrɔːdə kəˈrɪər
ˈɒpʃᵊnz ænd ən ədˈvɑːntɪʤ ɪn ðə ʤɒb ˈmɑːkɪt.
biː. ______________________
ɪf juː ɑː nɒt ˈɪntrɛstɪd ɪn trəˈdɪʃᵊnᵊl ˌækəˈdɛmɪk ˈsʌbʤɪkts ænd wɒnt tuː wɜːk ina
spɪˈsɪfɪk treɪd, ðɛn vəʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl ˌɛʤʊˈkeɪʃᵊn ɪz ðə raɪt ʧɔɪs fɔː juː. juː wɪl ɡeɪn ðə
ˈpræktɪkᵊl skɪlz ænd ˈnɒlɪʤ ˈnɛsəsᵊri fɔːr ə spɪˈsɪfɪk ʤɒb. ɪn əˈdɪʃᵊn, ə
vəʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl skuːl meɪ ˈɔːlsəʊ ˈɒfə juː ən əˈprɛntɪʃɪp. ðɪs taɪp ɒv ˈtreɪnɪŋ nɒt ˈəʊnli
prəˈvaɪdz ˈstjuːdᵊnts wɪð hændz-ɒn ɪkˈspɪəriəns, bʌt ˈɔːlsəʊ ɡɪvz ðɛm ˈweɪʤɪz tuː
ˈkʌvə ðeə ˈlɪvɪŋ kɒsts. məʊst ɪmˈpɔːtᵊntli, vəʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl ˈtreɪnɪŋ ɪz ˈjuːʒʊəli mʌʧ
ˈʃɔːtə ðæn ə ˈkɒlɪʤ ɔː ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsəti kɔːs. ˈɑːftə ˈɡɛtɪŋ ðeə vəʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl
ˌkwɒlɪfɪˈkeɪʃᵊnz, ˈɡræʤuəts kæn ɪˈmiːdiətli stɑːt wɜːk ænd ɜːn ə ˈsæləri.
ðeər ɑːr ə lɒt ɒv ˌɛʤʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl ˌɒpəˈʧuːnətiz fɔː skuːl-ˈliːvəz təˈdeɪ. juː kæn ʧuːz
frɒm ˈhʌndrədz ɒv vəʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl skuːlz ɔː ˈhaɪər ˌɛʤʊˈkeɪʃᵊn ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃᵊnz tuː
kənˈtɪnjuː jɔːr ˌɛʤʊˈkeɪʃᵊnᵊl ˈʤɜːni.