Tom Bailey and Peter Berg. 2009. Vocational Training in the United States. In Vocational Training in the 21st Century: A Comparative Perspective on Systems and Innovations in Ten Countries, Gerhard Bosch and Jean Charest, (eds.) London: Routledge. This book is part of the series Studies in Employment and Work Relations in Context.

Summary: In this chapter, we describe the vocational education system in the United States including the providers, the completion rates and the economic earnings associated with various credentials. We emphasize the levels at which vocational education takes place and the blending of occupationally focused education across institutions. We argue that the distinction between vocational and general education has been exaggerated and that the distinction between occupational and general education is becoming weaker. Next, we discuss the links between the vocational education system and the labor market, emphasizing the informal nature of those links. Finally, the efforts to reform the system will be discussed.