Technikum is an institute of

vocational education Vocational education is education that prepares people to work as a technician or to take up employment in a skilled craft or trade as a tradesperson or artisan. Vocational Education can also be seen as that type of education given to an ind ...

in some parts of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. It is a mass-education institution of "special middle education" category 1 step higher than PTU, but aimed to train low and middle level (depending on profile) industrial managers, foremen, coordinators, technical supervisors etc. or specializing in occupations that require skills more advanced than purely manual labor, especially in high-tech occupations (such as electronics). After graduation from a technikum/college, a student may apply to an institution of higher learning (i.e. university) as a freshman.

Poland

A student finishing the 8th year of

compulsory education Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all people and is imposed by the government. This education may take place at a registered school or at other places. Compulsory school attendance or compulsory schooling ...

has to choose between three types of schools: *

Liceum ogólnokształcące A general education liceum (Polish: ''Liceum ogólnokształcące'' ) is an academic high school in the Education in Poland, Polish educational system. They are attended by those who plan to further their academic education upon graduation from Educa ...

(

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

, 4 years), designed mainly for those who want to pass

matura or its translated terms (''Mature'', ''Matur'', , , , , , ) is a Latin name for the secondary school exit exam or "maturity diploma" in various European countries, including Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech ...

and begin

higher Higher may refer to: Music * The Higher, a 2002–2012 American pop rock band Albums * ''Higher'' (Ala Boratyn album) or the title song, 2007 * ''Higher'' (Ezio album) or the title song, 2000 * ''Higher'' (Harem Scarem album) or the title song ...

studies, * Branżowa szkoła I stopnia (

vocational school A vocational school is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocational education or technical skills required to complete the tasks ...

, 3 years), designed for those who want to start working immediately after finishing their compulsory education * Technikum (

professional technical school A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...

, 5 years), after which students have both qualifications to start working and possibility to pass matura and begin studies. People who have completed a technikum and passed the final exams (organized by an external, state unit - '' Centralna Komisja Egzaminacyjna'' - ''Central Examination Board'') in their profession obtain a

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

consisting of the word ''technik'' and the profession they have learnt (for example ''technik elektryk'' - ''electrical industry technician''), where the word ''technician'' (''technik'') cannot be used by those who finished three-year vocational school. Their title contains only the name of profession, for example ''elektryk'' (''electrician''). Examples (in alphabetical order): *Technikum Budowlane: Vocational Technical High School for Construction *Technikum Ceramiczne: Vocational Technical High School for Ceramics *Technikum Chemiczne: Vocational Technical High School for Chemistry *Technikum Drogowe Zespołu Szkół Budowlanych: Vocational Technical High School for Road Construction *Technikum Drzewne: Vocational Technical High School for Woodworking *Technikum Elektryczne: Vocational Technical High School for Electrical Science *Technikum Energetyczne: Vocational Technical High School for Energetic Science *Technikum Usług Fryzjerskich: Vocational Technical High School for Hairdressing *Technikum Gastronomiczne: Secondary Technical School of Catering (Note: not a cooking school, per se) *Technikum Handlowe: Vocational Trade High School for Retail *Technikum Hodowlane: Vocational Technical High School for Agricultural Studies *Technikum Hotelarskie: Vocational Technical High School for Hotel Administration *Technikum Informatyczne: Vocational Technical High School for Computer Science *Technikum Łączności: Vocational Technical High School for Telecommunications *Technikum Mechaniczne: Vocational Technical High School for Mechanical Studies *Technikum Obsługi Turystycznej: Vocational School for Tourism and tourism-related enterprise Education in Poland School types {{Poland-edu-stub