You're at the end of your senior year in high school. The end of fall is approaching. Being nervous, you go forward with submitting a few college applications.
You've been told that going to college is your safest option. After researching some majors, you realize it might not be for you. Is this it? You're not the only one who thinks that way.
The truth is that high school doesn't show you every option that is available to you. Some of us go to college because we aren't given alternative options. If you're not ready to waste 4-years of your life or spend a fortune on a path you'll regret, there are other options available to you.
Trade schools are an alternative. I've accumulated a list of six signs a trade school is right for you.
Let's begin!
What Are Trade Schools?
Before you can decide if a Trade School is right for you, it's important to understand what they are.
You've probably heard of a Trade School or maybe your parents mentioned it to you. In the past, Trade Schools received a bad reputation due to people not understanding the value trade jobs bring. However, this has changed in the past ten years. There are more trade professions available than people can fill. Additionally, trade schools have earned an excellent reputation for providing high-earning jobs and skilled trades that are needed in society.
What exactly are trade schools? A trade school, also known as a technical school, vocational college, or vocational school, is a post-secondary institution that teaches students technical skills to prepare them for a certain career. K&G Career Academy, Lincoln Tech, and more. Although trade schools can be public or private, many are for-profit enterprises.
Examples of trade professions:
Carpenter
Plumber
Painter
Medical Office Assistant
EKG Technician
Phlebotomy Technician
I.T Technician
Electrician
Paralegal
Chef
Computer Technician
Massage Therapist
You Prefer Hands-On Learning
Now that you have an idea of what a trade school is, here are ways you can determine if it is right for you. The first is hands-on learning. While trade schools offer an online alternative, if you prefer hands-on work and learning, trade schools are a great fit for this.
This is because professionals that require certifications such as plumbing or ekg technician are required to undergo an intense course. In their course, they learn how to work on their craft and to become experts in their field.
Unlike 4-year schools where you receive a broad knowledge of history and math, trade schools get straight to the point You're not wasting time on useless subjects that add no value to your profession.
In other words, you learn what you need to. If you are studying to become a phlebotomy technician, you'll only learn about what skills are needed as a phlebotomy technician.
You're Worried About Employment and Financial Security
The second item on this checklist is being worried about employment. If you are worried about your future, Trade Schools are a safe option.
People are beginning to investigate alternate possibilities in a highly competitive economic climate that sees about 4 million newly minted college graduates every year. Higher education trends are being influenced by time commitment, expense, and the declining chances of finding a high-paying job immediately out of college.
Increasingly, traditionally college-aged youngsters are opting out of college and enrolling in vocational schools. Over the last five years, the number of students pursuing a career in a skilled profession has increased, and it has more than doubled in the last two decades.
This figure is predicted to rise even higher between 2020 and 2025. While increased automation is forcing certain skilled crafts to become obsolete, many other skilled trades and jobs will continue to exist in the foreseeable future.
The difference between trade programs and colleges is that trade programs have to undergo extensive approval processes. Also, trade programs need to meet specific quotas and report to the state their employment rate percentages.
Trade schools are hard-wired to find and teach in-demand programs because it determine their future as a business. With more jobs becoming automated, certain professions cannot be automated. In this case, medical careers and hands-on work that requires skilled movements are almost impossible to replace with machines.
Smaller Class Sizes
This is a bonus. Do you like being surrounded by a big class?
In trade programs, due to the importance of them learning their craft, classrooms are a smaller size. You won't be stuffed with a group of 20-30 students. You're not a number. Programs are structured and schools are designed to help you get the career you want.
If it is a state requirement to ensure that you have a job, trade schools are motivated and intensified to make sure you succeed.
You Like Saving Time and Money
You might not understand the value of money after you graduate. There are horror students who invested 4-years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in college.
It's not a bad thing to take your time before deciding it's the right decision for you. However, if you need a job and want to build yourself up, trade schools are the way to go.
Be smart with your money. You don't want to start your early career in debt.
You'll save time and money. You not only get to start working and earning sooner with an expedited graduation path, but you also save money on your education.
Trade school tuition is typically less expensive than college tuition, allowing you to save even more money as you go. Many trade school graduates work first and earn their degree later if it helps their career advancement opportunities.
Prefer Essential Worker Careers
The past two years showed everyone the value of having an essential career. After the pandemic, workers were left at home without a job or money to provide for their families. During this time, more people opted to change their career paths by focusing on essential careers.
One of the biggest benefits of trade schools is that their programs are designed to help you begin your career. You build strong relationships with professionals allowing schools to provide you with an up-to-date curriculum.
You can acquire a job directly connected to the field you studied at a vocational school after finishing a trade school program. You can work as a dental assistant after completing a Medical Billing and Coding program, for example. A job as a plumber is possible if you complete a plumbing program.
These trade schools are, once again, meant to train you for a certain sector of work.
Final Thoughts
Trade Schools have a goal to accomplish. Similarly, because the purpose of a vocational school is to learn the skills needed for a certain career, it may be simpler to get work in that industry right away. Furthermore, many trade school programs are focused on industries where people are in great demand.
Twenty years ago trade schools were an afterthought because of the idea that attending a four-year college was a smarter option. The reputation has changed drastically especially now that many jobs are more focused on skill versus knowledge. If you are worried about attending a trade school, remember that there are advantages.
It's not like it used to be when there was only one direction for you to find a worthwhile career. There are several advantages of attending a trade school.
The most obvious advantage of attending a trade school is that it takes less time to finish and you won't be spending a fortune to have a valuable career.
Almost all trade school programs take fewer than two years to complete. Some programs can take you only weeks to finish.
Meanwhile, a community college degree typically takes two years to finish, and a standard four-year college degree typically takes at least four years to complete, with many students needing a fifth or sixth year if they do not finish in time.