Technical courses

Technical or vocational educational course programs take place in colleges.
This type of course is structured to enable students to enter the job market more quickly.
The courses are modular, divided into Certificates, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas.
The duration of the courses varies from 6 months to 3 years.
There are also a few options for technical courses lasting 3 months.
Certificates (Certificates I, II, III, IV) are shorter courses lasting from 3 months to 1 year.
Diplomas, on the other hand, are longer courses and are considered complete, in this case lasting between 1.5 and 2 years.
Advanced Diplomas usually last 3 years.
Courses are offered in a wide range of areas such as: Technology, Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Tourism, Hospitality, Gastronomy, Engineering, Architecture, Health, Aviation, Mechanics, Photography, Fashion, Film, TV, Performing Arts, Environment, Sports, among many other areas.
Colleges are like universities, with different campuses and thousands of local and international students.

Prerequisites

In order to enter college programs, you must have a language proficiency exam, the grade and type of which will depend on the college and the country chosen. In some cases, for example in alternative courses, you can enter only with an advanced language certificate, without the need for a proficiency exam.

Technical training

The technical course facilitates the student's entry into the job market in a practical, fast and skilled way. After completing a 6-month Certificate, the student is ready to look for a professional opportunity in their field. After entering the job market, in parallel with their professional activity, the student can continue their studies by taking the other modules of the course, in this case the following certificates and diplomas. As the level of technical certification improves, professional opportunities evolve. For example, a student can complete a 1-year certificate in the field of aviation, specifically the Turbine Maintenance Technician Certificate, which will enable them to enter the job market. If they wish, they can continue their studies by taking another 1-year course, achieving the Diploma in Aviation Mechanical Services. And then another 1 year course to complete the Advanced Diploma in Aviation, making a total of 3 years of modular training. After completing the technical training, the student can enter a university, with great use of subjects, to complete the bachelor's degree and continue their academic training.

Use for graduation

Once a student has completed a module or certificate of the technical course, they can continue their studies at a university. Depending on the level of the college studied, the average pass rate can be up to 80%. The degree can be taken in the same area as the technical course completed or in a related area. The advantages of the combined degree (college + university) is that, at the end of the degree, the student will have two certificates: one from the college and one from the university. This advantage can be even more interesting if the student achieves both certifications in different but related areas, such as Physical Education and Nutrition, Business Management and Finance, Sports Management and Marketing, among others. In this way, the student broadens his or her area of expertise and therefore professional opportunities. The second advantage is in terms of the total investment of the degree, which can be more economical, since the semester cost of a technical course is almost half that of a degree. To make the most of your credits, it is essential that the college you choose is well recognized and has partnerships with universities.

Specialization format

Taking a technical course in an area related to your degree can be an excellent cost-effective option for specializing abroad. For this, it is important to choose the course and associate it with the student's training. The reasoning is similar to the undergraduate program (seen above), i.e. the student can do a Certificate or a Diploma, for example, lasting 1 to 2 years, in an area related to their training, and thus make it possible to specialize abroad. This is a more economical option, which adds a real level of knowledge and enhances the student's CV.

Wildcard program

Due to the various training possibilities they offer, technical courses can be considered a kind of CURINGA program, offering interesting options to those who take them. The first option is of course the technical training itself at different levels (certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas); the second option is a more strategic route to a degree (bachelor's); and the third option is also to be taken as a specialization course.

Alternative courses

Depending on the destination, there are options for less rigid technical courses or colleges, called alternative courses. These are courses that focus more on continuing to learn the language within a more specific vocabulary, rather than on technical knowledge of the area in question. These courses have been developed to cater for students who prefer to study at a school that is more flexible in terms of the pace of the course and the admissions process. To enter the programs, you only need to present an intermediate-advanced level language certificate, which eliminates the need for any proficiency exams. These colleges are more economical and are only made up of international students, who often prefer to take a course in this format and have more time for other activities such as work and fun.