business plan for vocational training center

Vocational School and Training Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Education Sector » Schooling

Are you about starting a vocational training center? If YES, here is a complete sample vocational school business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a vocational school. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample vocational training business marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for vocational schools. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

There are countless number of people out there who are trying to acquire skills that will enable them put food on their table, pay their bills and ultimately become their own boss, and a vocational school & training center is just an ideal place they can get the journey started.

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You can be rest assured that your services will always be in demand not only by young or old people who could not make it to the university or college, but also by graduates who would want to start a skill based business of their own. The truth is that if your vocational school & training center has loads of courses (trades) and is government approved, then you may not have to struggle to persuade students to enroll in your school.

Just like most businesses, the trade and technical school industry is open for as many people that are interested in the industry as long as you have what it takes to run an accredited vocational school & training center.

Even if you don’t have the finance and other requirements, you can come into the industry by starting out as a small music school or driving school in your neighborhood. If you have decided to start a vocational school & training center, then you should must make sure that you carry out thorough feasibility studies and also market survey.

Lastly, you would need a good business plant to be able to launch a successful business, and below is a workable vocational school & training center business plan template that will help your draft yours.

A Sample Vocational School & Training Center Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Vocational school and training center falls under the Trade and Technical Schools industry, and it comprises of schools that offer vocational and technical training in a wide range of technical subjects and trades. The trainings offered by trade and technical schools often lead to job-specific certification.

Instruction may be provided in diverse settings, such as the company’s training facilities, the workplace, the home or through distance-learning methods. Key areas in this industry include music schools and musical instrument training, cosmetology and barber schools, flight training, apprenticeship training and other technical training.

If you are a keen follower of the Trade and Technical Schools industry in the united states, you will agree that the industry has experienced fluctuations over the last five years due to the recession and stagnant growth in federal funding for such schools.

High unemployment has caused individuals to seek out further education, while employers are increasing their training requirements to remain competitive. Going forward, decreasing unemployment rates combined with the increasing tuition of four-year colleges will both boast enrollment in vocational training, and hamper industry growth.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 8,876 registered and licensed (accredited) trade and technical schools scattered all across the country responsible for employing about 127,260 people and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $13 billion annually.

The industry grew at -6.3 percent annual growth within 2012 and 2017. It is important to state that there are no establishment in this industry that has a lion market share.

A recent report released by IBISWorld shows that the Trade and Technical Schools industry operates in a countercyclical manner. The report shows that the industry revenue grew significantly as a result slow economic growth earlier over the five years to 2016, but has suffered subsequently.

Sluggish economic activity helped the industry to grow as the unemployed sought professional training to improve their job prospects.

As national unemployment has decreased however, so has industry revenue. The report further stated that in recent years, the restructuring of the US economy has accelerated. Service industry professions are in higher demand than ever, while growth in manufacturing continues to fail to impress. As a result, individuals displaced by major economic change are still retooling their skillset.

Due to the fact that it is stressful to get government accreditation for a standard vocational school & training center in the United States, it will be safe to say the industry is under saturated. It is important to state that entrepreneurs who are into training people on various trade/skills such as how to drive, how to play musical instrument, how to cook and how to dance et al can easily be found without stress.

Some of the factors that encourage entrepreneurs to start their own vocational school & training center despite the fact that the business is challenging could be that the business is highly profitable, they can easily get funding and support from government and charity organizations and the business can be started in any part of the world.

Starting a vocational school requires professionalism and good grasp of the trade you want to teach people. Besides, you would need to get the required certifications and license (accreditations) and also meet the standard for such business before you can be allowed to start.

One good thing about the Trade and Technical Schools industry is that there is readily available market for their services. So, if you are well positioned and you know how to impart skills to students, you will always smile to the bank.

2. Executive Summary

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is a registered and accredited trade and technical school that will be located in Orange County – California. We are registered under the United States’ Government. We are well equipped to train people on various technical and vocational skills.

We are set to offer vocational and technical trade trainings such as automobiles, electrical works, music schools and musical instrument training, cosmetology and barber schools, flight training, apprenticeship training and other technical training.

At Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC we are passionate in the pursuit of excellence and financial success with uncompromising services and integrity which is why we have decided to start our own vocational school & training center in Orange County – California.

We are quite optimistic that our values and quality of service offering will help us drive our center to enviable heights and also help us attract the number of students that will make the business highly profitable.

We are in the Trade and Technical Schools industry to favorably compete with other leading brands in the industry. Our corporate business goal is to be among the top 5 vocational school & training centers in the United States of America.

As a company, we are willing to go the extra mile to invest in some of the finest professionals we can find and also, we have put process and structures in place that will ensure that we are always at the top of our game when it comes to impacting knowledge. We have been able to secure permits from all relevant departments in the State of California.

We are quite aware that in order to become the number one choice in our city, we must continue to deliver quality and safe trainings and that is exactly what we will do.

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is owned and managed by Richmond Jones and other members of his faculty. Richmond Jones has over 15 years’ hands on experience in the Trade and Technical Schools industry in the United States and he is a Certified Technical Skill Trainer and has certification in a Niche Area (Trade and Technical Vocation).

3. Our Products and Services

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is an accredited vocational school & training center that offers a wide range of services that revolves around the Trade and Technical Schools industry. These are the services we will offer as a vocational school & training center;

• Automobile technology
• Beauty and cosmetology training
• Apprenticeship training programs
• Commercial or graphic art training
• Bartending training
• Electronic equipment repair training schools
• Firefighter training
• Medical technician training

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our Vision is to become the number one government approved vocational school & training center in the whole of Orange County – California, United States of America.
• Our mission as a government approved vocational school & training center is to develop a highly successful, and profitable vocational school & training center which provides quality training in our community and to become a standard for an ideal vocational school & training center.

Our Business Structure

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is aware that the success of any business lies in the foundation on which the business is built on, which is why we have decided to build our vocational school & training center on the right foundation.

We want to build a business of dedicated workforce who will go all the way to ensure that our students are satisfied and they get value for their money when they enroll in our training center. We aware that it takes a business with the right employees and structure to achieve all what we have set to achieve, which is why will be putting structures and standard operating processes in place that will help us deliver excellent trainings and run the business on auto pilot.

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC will employ professionals and skilled people to occupy the following position;

• Head of The School/School Coordinator

School Administrator

Instructors

Marketing and Sales Executive

Client Service Executive

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Head of the School / School Coordinator:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Reports to the board
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the school
• Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders (students and member of the school board) to review the effectiveness of the schools’ Policies, Procedures and Processes
• Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
• Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carries out induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily activities of the school.
• Responsible teaching students based on the vocation they enrolled for.
• Accesses the progress of students under their care
• Ensures that students abide by the rules and regulations of the regulating bodies in the United States of America
• Contributes his/her quota towards growing the school
• Receives complaints from students and channel it to the appropriate quarters
• Handles any other duty as assigned by the school coordinator.
• Identifies, prioritizes, and reach out to new students, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents the company in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for the school.
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the organization
• Serves as internal auditor for the organization.
• Welcomes students and visitors by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with students on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the schools’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to students when they make enquiries
• Distributes mails in the organization
• Handles any other duties as assigned by the school authority

6. SWOT Analysis

In the United States, vocational school & training center is one of the many businesses that can easily generate business deals with little stress as long as they are well positioned. We are building a standard vocational school & training center with various training areas which is why we have decided to subject our business idea to SWOT Analysis.

Ordinarily we can successfully run a normal vocational school & training center without the stress of going through the required protocol of setting up a new business, but because of the nature of the vocational school & training center we want to establish, we don’t have any option other than to follow due process.

We hired the services of a HR and Business consultant with bias in startups to help us conduct SWOT analysis for our company and she did a pretty job for us. Here is a of the result we got from the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC;

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is centrally located in an area with the right climatic conditions and demographic composition for the kind of business we want to run. Another strength that counts for us is the power of our team; our workforce and management. We have a team that are considered experts in the vocational school line of business, a team of hardworking and dedicated individuals.

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is a new business and we may not have the financial muscle to acquire the latest equipment needed to train students, to attract and retain the best hands in the industry and also to sustain the kind of publicity we want to give our business.

• Opportunities:

We are centrally located in one of the busiest areas in Orange County – California and we are open to all the available opportunities that the city has to offer. Our business concept and staff strength also positioned us to accommodate over 100 students per time.

The truth is that there are no standard vocational school & training centers within our area; the closest to our proposed location is about 10 miles away. In a nutshell, we do not have any direct competition within our target market area.

Some of the threats that are likely going to confront Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC are unfavorable government policies , seasonal fluctuations, demographic/social factors, downturn in the economy which is likely going to affect consumers spending and of course emergence of new competitors within the same location where our vocational school & training center is located.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

The truth is that any vocational school & training center that has good records and loads of positive testimonials from students who have passed through the school will always thrive.

Another common trend in the industry is that in the bid to survive global economic meltdown and to ensure steady flow of income to effectively run the business, most players in the industry engage in other related services. Some of them even go as far as establishing agency services to provide professional and certified pilots for clients and some also offer specialized training for executive students.

It is a known pattern that as unemployment declines, demand for courses provided by this industry will drop, as further education and training become less essential to finding employment. The national unemployment rate is expected to decrease significantly over 2017, posing a serious potential threat to the industry.

As a matter of fact, about half of total government postsecondary education comes from state governments while federal contributions comprise mostly of grants bestowed on universities to be used for specific research. A rise in government funding for universities will cause enrollment in technical and trade schools to grow, as government funding typically increases affordability for students who need education loans. Government funding for universities is expected to increase over 2017, representing a potential opportunity for the industry.

8. Our Target Market

Prior to choosing a location for our vocational school & training center, we conducted thorough feasibility studies and market survey and we were able to identify those who will benefit greatly from our service offerings.

Essentially, the demographic and psychographic composition of those who require our services cut across individuals, school leavers, corporate organizations, aspiring entrepreneurs and religious organizations who need to acquire trade and technical skill sets.

• Our competitive advantage

In spite of the fact that vocational schools scale through hurdles before they are established does not mean that there are no real competitions in the industry. The truth is that no matter the line of business that you are involved in, as long as it is called business, you will definitely face one form of competition or the other and vocational school & training center is not an exemption.

So, if you are looking towards setting up this type of business, it is advisable to do your due diligence before launching the business if indeed you want to succeed.

Our competitive edge is that we have the ability to quickly adopt new technology, we have access to highly skilled workforce and our location is in fact one of our major strengths because we are located with the right demography for the kind of business we run.

Another strength that counts for us is the power of our team and management. We have a team that are considered experts in the vocational school & training center line of business, a team of hardworking and dedicated individuals.

Lastly, all our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the Trade and Technical Schools industry and we are going to ensure that we do all it takes to attract both individual clients and corporate clients on a regular basis.

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC will generate income by offering the following services;

10. Sales Forecast

We are well positioned to take on the available market in and around Orange County – California and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough income/profits from the first six months of operation and grow our vocational school & training center and our student base.

We have been able to examine the vocational school & training center, market we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. Below are the sales projections for Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC, it is based on the location of our business and of course the wide range of related services that we will be offering;

• First Fiscal Year: $375, 000
• Second Fiscal Year: $650, 000
• Third Fiscal Year: $1 million

N.B : This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the vocational school & training center line of business and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same related services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

The marketing strategy adopted by Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is going to be driven basically by excellent customer service and quality training delivery. We will ensure that we build a loyal customer base.

We want to drive sales via the output of our jobs and via referral from our satisfied students. We are quite aware of how satisfied students drive business growth especially businesses like vocational school & training centers and related services.

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is strategically located and we are going to maximize the opportunities that is available which is why we spent more to locate the business where it will be visible and accessible to our target market.

Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets.

Our goal is to grow Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC to become the leading vocational school & training center in Orange County – California which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with in our line of business.

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;

• Introduce our vocational school & training center by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to schools and other key stake holders in and around Orange County – California
• Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
• Use friends and family to spread word about our business
• Post information about our vocational school & training center and the services we offer on bulletin boards in places like schools, libraries, and local coffee shops et al
• Place a small or classified advertisement in the newspaper, or local publication about our vocational school & training center and the services we offer
• Leverage on referral networks
• Advertise our vocational school & training center in relevant entertainment magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations.
• Attend relevant expos, seminars, and business fairs et al to market our services
• Engage in direct marketing approach
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing from loyal and satisfied students
• Join local chambers of commerce and industry and other relevant groups to market our services.

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is set to create a standard for the vocational school & training center business not only in Orange County – California, but throughout the United States of America which is why we will go all the way to adopt and apply best practices to promote our business.

Good enough there is no hard and fast rule on how to promote a vocational school & training center business. Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC;

• Encourage our loyal customers/students to help us use Word of Mouth mode of advertisement (referrals)
• Advertise our vocational school in relevant aviation magazines, local newspaper, local TV and radio stations
• Promote our vocational school online via our official website
• List our vocational school on local directories (yellow pages)
• Sponsor relevant community programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, et al to promote our brand
• Install our billboards on strategic locations all around Orange County – California
• Direct coupon mailing approach
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our customized clothes, all our mini – aircrafts, and official cars are customized and well branded.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

At Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC we will keep our fees below the average market rate by keeping our overhead low and by collecting payment in advance.

We are aware that there are some students that would need special assistance, we will offer flat rate for such services that will be tailored to take care of such students’ needs. The prices of our training services and certifications will be same as what is obtainable in the open market.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation in the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via mobile money platform
• Payment via Point of Sale Machines (POS Machine)
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for registering and services rendered without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional material.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

If you are looking towards starting a vocational school & training center, then you should be ready to raise enough capital to cover some of the basic expenditure that you are going to incur. You will need money to secure a standard facility, acquire different types of training machines and equipment, acquire license and permits, relevant software apps and you will need money to pay your workforce and bills for a while until the revenue you generate from the business becomes enough to pay them.

We have been able to pull cash that will be enough for us to successfully launch a standard and government approved vocational school & training center in Orange County – California. The items listed below are the basics that we would need when starting our vocation school and trade center in the United States, although costs might vary slightly;

• The total fee for registering the business in the United States of America – $750.
• Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $1,500.
• Marketing promotion expenses (8,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of – $10,000.
• The total cost for hiring Business Consultant – $5,000.
• The amount needed for the purchase of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $30,800.
• The total cost for the purchase of accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
• The total cost for leasing facility for the business – $150,000.
• The total cost for equipping our lab – $500,000
• Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
• Phone and utility deposits – $3,500
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
• The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets (Computers, Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound System, snooker board, tables and chairs et al) – $4,000.
• The cost of launching a website – $600
• The cost for our grand opening party – $15,000
• Miscellaneous – $5,000

Going by the report from the market research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need about seven hundred and fifty thousand ( 750,000 ) U.S. dollars to successfully set up a medium scale but standard vocational school & training center business in the United States of America.

Generating Funds/Startup for Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is owned and managed by Richmond Jones and other members of the faculty. They are the financiers of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources.

• Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $350,000 ( Personal savings $300,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $400,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business, then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to offer our vocation and trade training services a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Richmond Jones® Vocational Training Center, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of three years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check : Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Securing a standard facility and reconstructing the facility: Completed
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating part of the startup capital from the founders: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
• Design of Logo for the business: Completed
• Purchase of training tools and equipment and supplies: Completed
• Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of furniture, office equipment, software applications, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
• Creating official website for the business: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in various industries: In Progress

• Trends in Education

Vocational Training Centers can be a prosperous investment

April 12, 2021 •

9 min reading

Education is one of the most effective tools in eradicating poverty and improving what we don’t know. For any national or social environment to progress, investing heavily in education is a must. It is only after investing in education that an individual will be able to grow to think and decide for himself. 

However, even after a basic education is gained, students still need vocational training or specialized education to equip them with relevant skills in the field of their choice or passion. Vocational training has gained worldwide recognition which is leading to a massive interest in  establishing dedicated centers around the globe. 

There are a number of things to consider when starting a vocational training school or planning the future of this center. 

How to set up a vocational training center?

Starting a vocational school can appear as a long process however, not necessarily a difficult one if all is well-prepared. 

Vocational training enables people to build competence in services allowing them to deliver professional and subsequently industrial-grade performance. This training has gained fame around the world leading to the widespread establishment of vocational training centers. Before jumping into the admissions criteria and possible schooling options, it is important to put down the mission and vision of the school and review its competitive landscape.

The objectives of the learning center should be to work towards the student’s achievement and growth, as a professional and as an individual. This should allow the school to develop its criteria and evolve into an institution of credible and verified reputation. The most important thing to do is to take the time and come up with a comprehensive list of objectives and specializations of the vocational training center before making the commitment toward a set of criteria. 

INVEST IN EDUCATION TOOLKIT With this 10-step process, you will have all the tools you need to master the critical areas of a successful school.

1. demand analysis and industry requirements.

First, it is important to understand the need of skilled and trained manpower required by the local industry and the rate at which the local hospitality and related industry is growing. An understanding of the attributed factors in the industry and the pressure it is creating on the demand and supply cycle and its analysis will give a fair understanding of the need to train people for the entry and supervisory level workforce for the region and country.

Long-term projections of the number of people that need to be trained and creation of a feasible and sustainable concept that fits with local and regional needs will determine if a vocational training center can successfully enter a market and generate expected profits to expand the business operations in a targeted market.

2. Assessment of requirements

Once the demand and industry analysis is complete, an assessment of requirements needs to be done in terms of facility, location, and staff.

The location in terms of the city and its connection with the industry is of prime importance. Centers can be located either in the source markets where the people migrate to work for the industry or in industry clusters where there is a sizable presence of the industry in multiple formats.

Once the City location is finalized, one needs to close the location of the proposed center in the City. It should be conveniently located so that the prospective students can travel and reach with the least difficulty. Sometimes proximity to the industry cluster can be extremely beneficial as it will generate natural connection to the industry for the prospective students. 

3. Capacity Analysis and the size of the Center

How big and elaborate the size of a Center will depend on the number of students that can be mobilized over a period of 5-years. It will also depend on the types and number of Vocational courses that can be offered in relation to the industry requirement and interests of the community that will use the center.

The source market may be spread around the location, but one needs to map the mobilization capability with the local transportation facilities. Sometimes a residential program can be of immense value when the spread of the source market is more widespread. The center can also plan to increase the size as and when the demand is expected to increase so that ideal deployment of funds is achieved. This will also satisfy the funding agencies, in case they are involved. 

4. Funding and Financial Implications

Every owner needs to understand the source and cost of funds in order to calculate the ROI of the learning center. It is essential to relate the ROI to the projected demand and the ability of the prospective students to pay the fees. Vocational programs may also be able to attract cheaper funds or even grants from the local government agencies who would be keen to skill their population and make them employable.

Once there is an understanding of the Capital required to fully equip the center and to cover the initial working capital, the owners need to align it to the cost of available funds and create a sustainable business model. It will also depend if the property is owned or rented as the capital expense requirements will change dramatically whether the property is leased or rented. It's always highly recommended to work on the financial projections before deciding to start a learning center.

5. Marketing Services

Marketing is an essential part in the daily operations of a Training Center and will include a proper plan of action to successfully run the training center. Marketing activities include:

• recruitment marketing best-practice training, 
• creation of ready-to-launch school website & lead generation platform,
• marketing audit and recruitment acceleration,
• marketing collateral design, etc. 

Vocational Centers may need to have their own team in order to mobilize the prospective students, counsel and help them take the decision to apply. This is a year-long process as it helps create a sizable pipeline of students for multiple entry cycles in the center. One must remember that it takes some time before the center becomes strong on self-generating leads for the admission. Until leads are self-generating, every possible effort should be made to strengthen the pipeline. Vocational Centers should also demonstrate their connection with the industry to their prospective students so that students understand the strong need for a trained workforce in the hospitality industry.

Any association made with local industries will be considered as a competitive advantage. 

6. human resources.

The success of a Training Center is in large part defined by the faculty who conduct the theory and practical classes. Qualifications and credentials of the manpower are extremely important to the successful running of the center thus some activities become crucial such as:

• creation of job posts,
• recruitment & interviews,
• Provision of organizational chart,
• guidance on appraisals,
• Design of an organizational structure.

Most branded and high-quality Vocational and Education Training programs require trainers to be well-trained and be subject-matter experts. They should be able to meet the minimum required criteria set by the governmental agencies or institutional partner in order to get their certification.

Having relevant industry experience and connection with the local industry will be valuable.

7. facilities.

In parallel, designing  the facilities and labs as well as working on the list of equipment are important requirements. Once the designs are finalized and compliant with governmental regulations or institutional partner standards, one must use all available resources to buy them at best possible rate and in a most efficient time. The learning center may require the services of a consultant to make sure their training kitchen lab complies with local regulatory knowledge. 

8. Placements of the students/Student Services

The Final responsibility of the training center is the placement of the students for the In-service training and subsequently in a job post completion of their course. Some government funding access becomes easy when there is an assurance from the industry for post certification placements either through a signed Letter of Intents (LOI) or even through a simple letter of acknowledgement.

During the upcoming admissions season, a center can demonstrate its connection with the industry displaying its LOI (Letter of Intents) and other acknowledgements. This will ensure the creation of an atmosphere of trust for the students as well as their parents.

Most institutes would have separate Admissions and Placements departments to facilitate a common linkage in both the processes. It also very strongly establishes the intent of providing jobs linked with the training and certification. Sometimes the presence of industry representatives in the center during the ongoing admissions and counselling sessions can be great value for the students. 

9. Operationalizing of the Center

A Center needs to have completed all the activities before announcing the opening dates for the Center. Finalizing the checklist for opening will imply that all facilities, classrooms and labs  are in  place together with the recruitment of human resources. Most Institutional partners will insist on completing the faculty recruitment process as well as its training before opening the Center. 

An opening ceremony of the Vocational School will be scheduled. The external and internal branding of the center will require proper attention. Conducting the opening after the initial admissions process will allow to show the presence of students on campus.  The inauguration of the Center itself provides an opportunity to showcase the facility to the industry as well as the local public.

10. Maintaining the quality of Industry standards

It is strongly recommended for a training center to operate a student service center. This service center should be able to support with students on topics such as:

• Orientation,
• Organization,
• On the Job Training,
• Adapting to the LMS- New way of learning (Blended learning),
• Basic IT inquiries (Connection to school network, etc.),
• In case of international students: support with local authority requirements.

To maintain the industry standards and to stay relevant in the dynamic world a training center needs to conduct:

• annual audits,
• curriculum review,
• retrain its faculty,
• keep the center self-sustainable.

Partnering with a vocational education expert

Why having a partner is cost saving.

Energy and time are ones of the biggest costs for businesses, and failing to find the right plan to meet the needs of your business can prove to be a costly mistake. Partnering with a comprehensive education supplier can help the learning center to find ways to reduce its costs and manage better its resources.

The right partner can support the learning center with:

• The recruitment of staff and faculty and creation of a sustainable supply of students, marketing activities etc. It is recommended that owners engage with some institutional bodies that will guide them in creating a robust model for their project. 
• The project analysis before getting involved in the implementation. Professional Advisory services can add a great value to carry various financial analysis, to generate a feasible model for the project and can also be a strong sounding board for the owners in making quick and sound financial decisions.
• The development of the curriculum and teaching materials/methods, ensuring it is up to date and applicable to current practices.
• A good business plan that will help in getting the funding as well as help determine facilities, staffing, staff training, marketing, enrollment benchmarks (and how you’ll meet them), operational procedures, safety, growth and improvement plans…
• The instructional diagnosis, grading student performance, certification of student competence for employers and various other policy purposes at the state and local levels. 

Learning Content Designer - EHL Education Consulting

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