Vocational Instructor

Job Details

Sector(s)

Component Manufacturing & Research & Development; 
Construction; Operations & Maintenance

Median Pay

$61,160 per year

$29.40 per hour

Job Type

Advanced-Level

Typical Entry-Level Education and Work Experience Requirements

3-5 years of work experience or education in the field they teach

Position Title

Vocational Instructor

Alternate Titles

Career and technical education teacher, educator, trade instructor, and trainer

Job Description

Vocational instructors teach students in high school and postsecondary schools and programs (such as community colleges, technical schools, and apprenticeships). They teach skills the students need to enter the workforce within a specialized career path.

Education and Training Description

Many different vocational career paths exist within the hydropower industry, and many different types of vocational instructors are needed to teach students the skills they need to begin these careers. Vocational instructors teach classes and provide hands-on learning and work experience for people working to become engineering technicians, mechanics, electricians, IT professionals, and other craftspeople and tradespeople.

The level of education and training required for a vocational instructor varies by the hiring institution and subject or career skill. All technical educators need several years of work experience within the subject or career path they are teaching. For example, an instructor in an electrical apprenticeship program typically needs to be a licensed electrician with several years of experience working as a licensed electrician. Other fields may require an associate’s degree with several years of experience working in a career path, whereas others, such as computer science, physics, or biology teaching positions, typically require at least a bachelor’s degree.

Some states and educational institutions may require vocational instructors to complete a student teaching program and/or acquire a teaching license.

Job Profile

Vocational instructors teach students in high school and postsecondary schools and programs (such as community colleges, technical schools, and apprenticeships). The hydropower industry will need vocational instructors to prepare workers to enter the industry. Vocational instructors teach classes and provide hands-on learning and work experience for people working to become engineering technicians, mechanics, electricians, IT professionals, and other vocational careers. Some vocational instructors may work at a hydropower plant, training hydropower plant technicians or operators. Vocational instructors may teach students general concepts in a classroom and practical exercises in a workshop, laboratory, or work site.

In postsecondary schools and apprenticeship programs, vocational instructors may teach skills that help students earn a certificate, diploma, associate’s degree, or professional license that prepares a student to work a specific professional job. For example, welding instructors teach students welding techniques and safety practices. Vocational instructors teach students how to use tools and perform the procedures they would use as a professional in their field. They also teach students how to safely use equipment and follow safety procedures as required by their trade or field.

Some hydropower plants or companies hire instructors to train their staff to perform hydropower-specific tasks. These instructors may be experienced hydropower plant technicians who train apprentice mechanics or mechanics who are new to the industry to become hydropower plant technicians.

Vocational instructors typically:

  • Create lesson plans and assignments
  • Demonstrate and instruct students on how to develop certain skills
  • Show students how to apply classroom knowledge through hands-on activities
  • Demonstrate and supervise safe and proper use of industry-standard tools and equipment
  • Monitor students’ progress, assign tasks, and grade assignments
  • Develop and enforce classroom rules and safety procedures
  • Prepare students for necessary certification tests or licensing exams
  • Train and prepare students to perform skills on real job sites with minimal supervision.

Job Skills

Vocational instructors typically need:

  • Communication skills. Vocational instructors need excellent communication skills to clearly explain concepts and tasks to students.
  • Organizational skills. Vocational instructors must coordinate their time, teaching materials, and student work.
  • Patience. Working with students of different abilities and backgrounds can be difficult. Instructors must be even-tempered with students to develop a positive learning environment.
  • Resourcefulness. Vocational instructors need to create different ways of presenting information and demonstrating tasks so that all students learn the material.

More Information

For more information on vocational instructor jobs see:

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