Industrial education and training programs are geared toward major employment sectors such as technology, construction, transportation, manufacturing, communication and cosmetology.
In the mid-to-late 20th century, industrial education was a significant part of public education. Its popularity declined, however, as doors opened for more students to attend college. With the expansion of technology in the early 21st century, there has been a renewed interest in skills-oriented education and industrial training. Many technology jobs have higher salaries than the average college graduate can expect to earn.
During the Reconstruction Period immediately following the Civil War, there was a need for trained workers in the expanding industrial economy. Trade schools provided a system of industrial education for all U.S. citizens. One of the first trade schools was the Hampton Institute in Virginia. Founded in 1868, this school provided vocational education to African Americans to help them become employable. Booker T. Washington, the founder of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, was a graduate of Hampton Institute.