Learn English – the difference between “professional” and “vocational”

difference

What is the difference between "professional" and "vocational"? For example,

After high school graduation, she sought some "professional"/"vocational" training in a community college in order to work as a office clerk in the future.

Which word is more appropriate here?

Best Answer

This is what I copied from Quora:

A vocation is generally a job that requires a particular set of skills acquired through experience or through training but not necessarily dependent on a college degree. These would include plumbing, electrician, mechanic, etc.

A profession could be one of the above but generally references a doctor, lawyer, nurse or other skilled worker who was required to obtain college/university training.

Here are some points from the "Difference Between" site:

  • Though both vocation, as well as profession, indicates the career or the occupation through which an individual makes a livelihood, vocation is a broader term than profession.
  • Profession refers to the career that one opts for, getting extensive training and acquiring special skills to become eligible for a job in it.
  • Profession requires training and qualification whereas vocation is the innate ability in an individual towards a particular occupation.
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