It’s surprising how much quality vocational training you can find on the Internet today.  One of the important roles that online education plays in vocational training is in supplying the classroom components for traditional apprenticeship programs.  For the building trades and for mechanical vocational training such as aviation airframe and power plant there are two essential components.  One is the hands on experience with veteran instructors that is the traditional role for apprenticeship.

The other is classroom work that is just as important for apprentices in plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, ironwork and the more technical trades.  There are important mathematical skills to be learned and increasingly, computer programming and software programs associated with job design and/or repair diagnosis.  Many apprenticeship programs are sponsored or co-sponsored by unions, so it is important to make sure that any online enrollment for the class work will be accepted by the apprenticeship program in which you’re enrolled.

1. Academy of Arts offers online Associate Degree programs in interior design and in fashion design that can prepare you for careers on the retail side in either of those industries, with the opportunity to continue your education and seek management opportunities later.
2. Allied Schools focuses on the healthcare services industry with programs in Medical Coding, Medical Transcription, Pharmacy Technician and Dental Assisting.
3. Ashworth College has an excellent lineup of vocational training programs in its online division.   There are at least eight tech options including Health Records Management. Other choices include the construction trade options, retail management and veterinary assisting.
4. Bellevue College in Washington State has an excellent selection of Certificate programs for students looking to establish a field of expertise quickly.  The vocational choices available at Bellevue are in Bookkeeping, Administrative Assistant, Software Specialist, Database Specialist and an introductory program in C++ programming.
5. Berkeley College includes Fashion Marketing, Interior Design and Health Information among its Associate Degree options.
6. Bryant & Stratton College has degree and certificate programs available online for administrative assisting, medical assisting, medical coding and an Associate Degree in IT Security
7. California Virtual Campus is a website where you can search among the state’s one hundred twenty three community college online programs and classes for the vocational training you want.  There is also a centralized application for admission tool on the site.  The number of Vocational Degree and Certificate choices is outsized, just like the state.
8. Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon has developed a good online program that has Certificates or Degrees in Speech Pathology Assistant, Event Management, Hospitality Management, and Spa Management.
9. Colorado Community College Online is a collaborative effort from the fourteen community colleges in the State of Colorado.  Online vocational certificate offerings include Library Technician, Building Code Enforcement, Early Childhood Education and a Microsoft Technician certification program.
10. Columbia Southern University is an online institution with Certificate and Associate Degree programs in Fire Science, Criminal Justice, Industrial Hygiene, and Information Technology along with several other vocational options.
11. Dallas TeleCollege is a well designed centralized resource for the online degrees and certificates available online through the Dallas County Community College District.  The list of Vocational Certificates goes on for pages.
12. Herzing University offers a Diploma in Payroll Accounting and Bookkeeping, and excellent entry into the accounting field.  Other options include Medical Billing and Insurance, Medical Assisting and Legal Assisting.
13. Ivey Tech Community College in Indiana has a healthy number of online education choices in vocational fields.  Their distance learning component includes training for Library Technical Assistant, Office Administration and Human Services.  However the school also operates twenty three campuses and provides classroom instruction in seventy five communities; some of the vocational options include instruction in Automotive Technology and Aviation Technology.
14. Kaplan University has Associate Degree options in Medical Office Management and Medical Assisting as well as several choices in the technology field.  There are also certificate options in Legal Secretary and in Corrections.
15. Maryland Online is a consortium of Maryland Community Colleges and Universities that have put together a central resource for online degrees, certificates and courses within the Maryland State University System.  There is a remarkable number of AS, AA and Certificate programs available via distance learning from these colleges.
16. Massachusetts Colleges Online is another statewide collaboration of schools that have provided a central location where you can learn what degrees and certificates are available online.  There are dozens of options; a little sorting will bring up educational choices such as Basic Web Development, Administrative Assistant, Accounting Information, Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement, Fire Protection and Safety, etc.
17. Metropolitan Community College of Omaha Nebraska maintains a good catalogue of vocational options in its selection of online Degrees and Certificates.   Focus is strong in the IT sector and in business support training.
18. Minnesota State Community and Technical College is an online resource consisting of degree and certificate programs provided by the four Minnesota State University Campuses.  You can obtain an online a Certificate in Administrative Support, in Carpentry, Electrical Lineworker, and many others.
19. Penn Foster offers online vocational training in just about every conceivable area, from building trades to mechanics to design to information technology.
20. Rio Salado Community College in Arizona has an enormous academic catalogue.  The school has been proactive in opening up online vocational training programs as well.  Their current distance learning degrees and certificate programs include Law Enforcement Technology, Customer Service and Retail Management.
21. Shoreline College also located in Washington State has a series of business related Certificate choices that provide good training for entry level skilled positions in business.  Choices among these Certificates are in Purchasing and Supply Chain, Office Management, Accounting, Customer Services, and Accounts Receivable/Payable Payroll Clerk.
22. St. Petersburg College is a multiple campus school in Florida that also has an eCampus available online.  The vocational options offered by St. Petersburg include Fire Science and Fire Inspection, Veterinary Hospital Management, Crime Scene Technology and Medical Coding.  These are but a few of the options.
23. The Technical College System of Georgia has centralized its search mechanism for Degree and Certificate choices among the several campuses.  There is also a tool on the website to search the online program options.  Using the search tools can be a challenge, but it is nevertheless a good resource for a group of schools that is dedicated to vocational training.
24. University of Phoenix has a number of vocational programs mixed into its certificate and associate degree programs.  There are degrees in pharmacy practice and medical assisting, paraprofessional teaching in education and IT support services in the tech field.
25. US Career Institute has some quick-study career options you won’t find at many schools.  Their Online Certificate program includes studies to be an Insurance Adjuster, Veterinary Specialist, Day Care Specialist and Home Inspections Technician.