Purpose: This paper aims to examine technical education in various types of secondary schools, and suggests three levels of technical courses to be taught in secondary schools. Design/methodology/approach: The paper discusses the differences between technical schools and colleges, and vocational technical courses taught in "academic" secondary schools; it recognizes that technical schools also attract students of a high academic quality. With a wider range of abilities, there need to be courses offered in secondary technical schools that suit a range of levels. Three technical courses are suggested here, which are aimed at the different levels of education parallel to secondary schools--for the potential craftsman, for the potential technician, and for the potential technologist. Findings: It is suggested that great care must be taken to ensure that the vocational subjects develop naturally from more general academic studies--the aim of the courses outlined in this paper is to provide a fundamental general education alongside an understanding of vocational studies. The course for the potential craftsman takes the student towards suitable City and Guilds certificates, and involves some designated time for industrial visits. The course for the potential technician aims for four "O" level subjects in the General Certificate of Education (GCE), and the course for the potential technologist aims for pupils to gain two subjects at "A" level. Originality/value: The paper suggests a hierarchy of technical courses for integration into secondary schools in the 1950s. (Contains 3 tables.) [This article was first published in "Technical Education," Volume 1 Issue 1 (1958/1959), and is being republished as part of a Special Issue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the journal, which is now called "Education + Training."]