Polytechnic universities focus on practical, career-oriented skills, offering an alternative to traditional universities

Polytechnic universities focus on practical, career-oriented skills, offering an alternative to traditional universities

Unlike traditional research universities and private liberal arts colleges, polytechnic universities tend to offer apprenticeships and microcredentials, all geared toward giving students practical skills they can use in the workforce. iStock/Getty Images PlusFor decades, a four-year college degree was widely seen as the standard path to getting most midlevel jobs in the United States. It was the expected entry point for getting a job as a market…