Trade schools have a lot more to offer than you may think. Not only do most trade schools have a large variety of programs you can pursue in many different fields, but they offer flexibility that you can’t find anywhere else. Read on to learn more about what trade schools have to offer you and why you should consider one.
Trade Schools Have Less Requirements for Entry
There are generally less requirements to get into a trade school. Usually, you don’t have to submit things like your SAT or ACT score to get in, and there are typically no minimum test score requirements they look for. Trade schools also usually don’t look at your high school GPA for the admissions process, and many programs do not require any prerequisites. This means you can enter a program with no experience at all and exit the program with everything you need for an entry-level position.
Trade School Programs are Shorter
Trade schools are also much shorter than traditional college. On average, a bachelor’s degree takes about four years to complete, but many students end up staying longer. Trade schools, on the other hand, are compact programs. In a trade school program, you can exclusively take classes that are necessary for your future career. The programs are tailored to your career field, so you don’t have to spend money on extra classes. This also means you can graduate sooner and be working before many of your peers in college have even finished their general education credits.
Trade Schools Offer Better Job Placement Services
Trade schools can also offer job placement services. Typical colleges and universities can’t place you into a job after school is done, and they will only provide the bare minimum when it comes to resume services and help job hunting. Trade schools, on the other hand, often partner with business in the local community. When a student is close to graduating, trade schools will collaborate with these businesses to place them in a position even before they’re done.
Trade School Have More Flexibility
Colleges and universities usually only offer bachelor and graduate programs, whereas trade schools offer certifications and degrees. While bachelor and graduate programs are valuable for many people, they are expensive and inflexible. Trade schools offer much more flexibility when choosing what kind of degree you want to pursue.
The length of a certificate program can vary widely, especially based on the program you’re in. Generally, however, they can last anywhere from a few weeks to just under one year. In a certificate program, you will only learn what you need to succeed in an entry level position in your chosen field.
Associate degrees are longer, lasting around two years. The benefit of an associate degree is that you will generally take more general education credits, such as English and math. An associate degree can make you more “well-rounded” and can help you climb the career ladder more easily.
Because most trade schools offer both certificates and associate programs, you can customize what you want to do. You can choose not only how long you want to stay in school, but also how much you spend on schooling and your career outcomes. Trade schools also tend to be geared towards people who are working, so they offer more evening and online classes for your convenience.
Trade Schools Offer Programs that Can’t be Found Anywhere Else
One of the greatest benefits of trade schools is that they offer programs that cannot be found anywhere else. Colleges and universities primarily teach theoretical knowledge and soft skills. This theoretical knowledge can translate to many different types of jobs, and so can soft skills.
Though soft skills like communication, organization, and teamwork are important, they don’t translate to jobs that easily. Similarly, depending on what you major in, the theoretical knowledge you learn may not be useful to many real-world jobs.
On the other hand, trade schools teach practical skills. These practical, hands-on skills you learn in trade schools translate directly into job opportunities. In addition to these practical skills, you will also learn soft skills just like in college. This means you get the best of both worlds.
Trade schools have a lot to offer in comparison to traditional colleges and universities. If you want fast, flexible, and affordable education, trade schools are one of the best routes to go!
Find out what kinds of programs you can pursue at trade school, or find a school near you here!
Read trade school vs college to learn more about this topic.