Technical schools enable a student to gain knowledge of a specific skill or craft. These schools seek to prepare their students for a specific career instead of equipping them with a general education. This form of education is common among military personnel.
Community college is often a first destination for students planning to attend a four-year university. At a fraction of the cost, many students find community college to be a less expensive alternative to cover the first two years of college. This college experience also often provides students with a smaller learning environment. Community colleges also offer two-year associate's degrees.
Becoming skilled or certified in any field is a similar procedure. Taking specialized courses and understanding concepts essential to that particular profession are elements of both technical school and community college. In addition, obtaining a certification takes two years for either technical school or community college.
While community college students, especially those intending to transfer, spend a majority of their time in school studying general education courses, technical school students start right in learning the skill they intend to pursue as a career. Technical school places heavy emphasis on understanding aspects of a particular trade and how to use those skills in their chosen profession, rather than preparing a student for further education and mastery in a field of study.