For working-class Victorians, the most common educational option was often the vocational school. In the 19th century, a host of schools offering "domestic" training for cooks and household servants arose, perhaps to compensate for a lack of "on the job" training. It's interesting that, in the same period, articles often bemoan the lack of training shown by the "modern" servant girl - so one may assume that these vocational schools evolved to meet the perceived need for better-trained servants. For boys and men, a host of options existed in the trades, crafts and industrial sectors. Training schools were also evolving for teachers (of both genders), and one could find more esoteric vocational training such as training in art needlework and training in "gardening as a business for ladies."

Vocational Training in Britain

Queen Victoria's Industrial Schools (Demorest, 1873)

An Examination for Women (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1876)

A look at exam day for women seeking teaching certificates.

My Experience at the National Training School of Cookery (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1879)

On the Organization of School-Farms, by the Rev. J.L. Brereton (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1880)

Training Schools for Servants, by A.A. Strange Butson (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1880)

Technical Education and the City Guilds, by J. Munro (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1881)

Some Thoughts on Domestic Training for Girls (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1883)

Cooper's Hill Engineering College, by J. Munro (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1884)

Domestic Training for Girls (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1884)

Wanted, a Certified Teacher, by Barbara Foxley (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1884)

Cookery Classes, by Alice King (Girl's Own Paper, 1885)

The South Kensington (London) School for Cookery, by Mary B. Welch (Century Magazine, 1886B)

Ascension [Graduation] Day at St. John's Servants School, by Anne Beale (Girl's Own Paper, 1889)

"It is pretty to see the little regiment of domestic soldiers perform all the evolutions of Swedish drill, and if their industrial training be equal to their physical, they will make very good servants indeed."

Education and the Working Man, by Leonard Noble (English Illustrated Magazine, 1890A)

Higher education and working-man's colleges.

How to Obtain Kindergarten Certificates (Girl's Own Paper, 1891)

How to become a qualified kindergarten instructor.

The Teaching of Cookery in Board Schools (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1891)

Schools of Domestic Service, by D.K. Lees (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1892)

A Unique School, by C.L. McLuer Stevens (Windsor Magazine, 1897B)

Madame Bergman Osterberg's Physical Training College - a college that trains women to become physical training instructors.

The Regent Street Polytechnic: England's Largest Educational Institute, by Fred A. McKenzie (Windsor Magazine, 1898B)

"...one of the most potent of the forces making for a transformed London. It is not only the largest of all educational institutions, but has brought about a new departure in industrial teaching..." It has over 15,000 members and students, and "aims to cater for the whole man, intellectually, industrially, morally and physically." The author regards it as more in the style of an American university than a European one.

London's Future Housewives and Their Teachers (Girl's Own Paper, 1899)

A look at a school for housewives.

Our National School of Housewifery (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1889)

The Revival of Art Needlework and Embroidery, by Florence Sophie Davson (Girl's Own Paper, 1900)

A look at the possibilities of embroidery as a trade for ladies, including schools and instructors in the art.

Stray Thoughts on Gardening for Girls, by Lady Georgina Vernon (Girl's Own Paper, 1902)

A look at a number of topics, including some horticultural schools.

A Visit to Swanley College [of Horticulture], by F.R. Horner (Girl's Own Paper, 1902)

Vocational Training in America

Free National Normal Schools for Young Women (Godey's, 1868)

"Normal Schools" were teacher-training colleges.

New Roads to a Trade (Century Magazine, 1882A)

The Worcester Free Institute (MA), The New York Trade Schools, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and The Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ).

The Wilson Industrial School and Mission (Harper's Monthly, 1882A)

An asylum for poor girls of New York.

Schools of Industry, by W.E. Platt (Century Magazine, 1884B)

The Connecticut Training School for Nurses (Century Magazine, 1885B)

The Need of Trade Schools, by Richard T. Auchmuty (Century Magazine, 1887A)

An American Apprentice System, by Richard T. Auchmuty (Century Magazine, 1889-1890)

The Training of the Teacher, by Nicholas Murray Butler (Century Magazine, 1889B)

Trade Schools (Century Magazine, 1892B)

The Pratt Institute, by James R. Campbell (Century Magazine, 1893B)

A school for industrial and fine arts in Brooklyn.

Relations of Academic and Technical Instruction, by Nathaniel Southgate Shaler (Atlantic Monthly, 1893)

The Technical School and the University, by Francis A. Walker (Atlantic Monthly, 1893)

Mistakes, Misapprehensions, and Fallacies Concerning Manual Training, by Calvin M. Woodward (Drapers' Self-Culture, 1913)