If you’ve been thinking about furthering your education, here are some of the top benefits of attending a career college or trade school for you to consider before you enroll.

1. Train for Work That’s in High Demand

Because vocational colleges are focused on helping students kickstart their careers first and foremost, they feature programs and industries that are in-demand. Trades like electrician and HVAC and welding are always in need of skilled professionals because we depend on them so much to help keep our homes, businesses, and infrastructure running. And fields like healthcare have some of the fast-growing careers out there because demand for medical services keeps rising. You won’t have to worry about what you’ll do with your training after you graduate; you’ll be ready to step into the workforce.

2. Go From Classroom to Career Faster

Traditional colleges can take four or more years to get from your first day to graduation, bogged down with electives and prerequisites that you may not even need. In contrast, trade schools narrow in on the skills that will benefit you the most in your future career and give you hands-on training in those areas. It’s right there in the name “career college,” after all — our mission is to prep you for the career you want, not waste your time on classes you don’t.

3. Gain Real-World Experience

There are some things — many things, even — that you just can’t learn out of a textbook or by sitting in a classroom. If you’re studying to become a Vocational Nurse, for example, you can’t learn how to do a needle stick or take a blood pressure just by reading about the steps. Or if you want to be a welder, you’ll never pass your certifications if you haven’t picked up a torch. That’s why trade schools go beyond the traditional tests and homework by incorporating hands-on training and practical experience. Many also include externships in the program itself so you have the chance to get on-the-job experience.

4. Decrease the Possibility of Student Debt

One reason many students avoid enrolling in a traditional four-year university is the staggering costs involved in earning a bachelor’s degree. Graduating with your personal finances in the red can make it just that much harder to start on the next phase of your life. Because trade schools and career colleges often offer programs that take a fraction of the time to complete, they can often result in less debt, less financial burden, and a stronger start to your career. On top of that, many career colleges offer financial aid assistance.

5. Get Help Finding a Job After School

Trade and vocational schools keep the goal of helping their students find new careers at the heart of their mission. Because of this, many of them have career services departments to provide resources and opportunities when it comes time for your job search. Staff and faculty members often cultivate relationships with local employers, businesses, and organizations, so that they are constantly in the know about who is looking for skilled graduates. It’s a team that’s there for everything from practicing interview skills to following up with you as you progress through your career.

6. Small Class Sizes, Real Connections

Traditional universities often have enormous lecture halls filled with hundreds of students and professors you’d barely recognize walking by on the street, let alone get any real guidance from. Career colleges, on the other hand, keep their class sizes small, so that you have more opportunities to engage with your instructor and classmates. It allows you to build relationships and create a community as you work toward graduation.

7. Break Through the Education Barrier

At career schools, like ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to train for a successful career. Contrary to the application process for many traditional universities, which require pages of hoops to jump through, trade schools aim to make applying an easy, accessible experience. Oftentimes, they allow students to enroll even without a high school diploma and don’t require things like SAT scores or prerequisite classes.

Ready to Chart Your Career Path?

If you’re ready to take control of your future and take advantage of all the benefits that trade schools have to offer, now is a great time to check out ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝. We’ve been providing quality, affordable education for over 30 years in healthcare and the trades. Reach out to ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ today and one of our experienced admissions advisors will be happy to answer your questions and get you started.

Trade School Careers Don’t Pay Well

Wrong! One of the best things about a trade school education is that most of the time, you’re getting trained in a field that is in high demand. Not to mention, having specialized skills that employers are actively looking for makes you far more likely to land a job that pays well. Even better – a lot of trade school graduates start their own businesses with the skills they’ve learned, putting the power to earn in their own hands.

For People Who Can’t Get into a Traditional University

Wrong again. There are many students who choose to attend trade school instead of a four-year university. Why? Because most of the time, you can complete a trade school program and start earning in less than half the time it would take at a traditional university. In addition to that, trade skills can be put to work while continuing education at a four-year institution if a student wants to start building a career early.

It Won’t Look Good on Your Resume

Generally speaking, completing any education program is a positive thing to have on your resume. Plus, employers today are looking for candidates with real-world training and often, specialized skills. So in truth, completing a special training program is the first step to building a professional resume.

A Trade School Degree is Not a Real Degree

I’m sorry, what???? You attended classes, you did the work, you passed the tests, you graduated. Your trade school diploma, certificate, degree – is just as real as any other degree out there. And PS – with a trade school education, you’re starting your career out with far less debt than someone who went the traditional route. The only difference between a “real” degree from a four-year university and yours – the very real amount of money you’ll likely have to pay back.

You’ll Be Stuck with One Career Path

The truth is that no one is ever stuck with one career path unless they choose to be. Your skills may be specialized but you’ll also be learning about the real-life business side of the industry you’re training to be a part of. You’ll also learn how to successfully search for and land the job you want. Those are actual life skills that will help you transition into whatever path you choose!

The reality is that the world »ĺ´Ç±đ˛ő˛Ô’t have a one size fits all anything. It’s all about finding the right career and the path that fits you! If you’re considering where to take the future you, check out the programs at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝. With programs in sought-after fields like HVAC, Welding, Electrician, and Healthcare. ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ can put you on your path to a brighter future. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a campus tour.

What is it that makes a particular career essential?

According to the , “essential workers are those who conduct a range of operations and services that are typically essential to continue critical infrastructure operations. Critical infrastructure is a large, umbrella term encompassing sectors from energy to defense to agriculture.” If you’re thinking that covers a lot of ground, you’re right. But let’s explore a few examples of what makes an essential career essential.

Healthcare workers

This is pretty much a no-brainer, but there are few times in modern history when healthcare workers were needed more. And the healthcare industry is made up of far more than just talented doctors and surgeons. The nurses, medical assistants and administrative healthcare workers are equally important to the vitality and effectiveness of a medical team. Consider the typical duties of these healthcare heroes.

• Vocational Nurse(VN) – LVNs provide essential assistance to doctors and registered nurses and play a key role on a medical team. They routinely prepare patients for exams, perform lab tests, record vital signs, update medical records and much more.

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – CNAs work under the supervision of a registered nurse and provide personal patient care such as bathing, feeding and dressing patients, as well as recording vital signs, answering patient calls and monitoring a patient’s behavior.

• Medical Assistant Administrative & Clinical – This versatile healthcare worker fulfills an important role by performing clinical duties as well as the administrative side of the equation. Medical assistants greet patients, schedule appointments, process insurance forms, record patient medical histories and more. But they will also routinely take blood pressure readings and monitor heart rates.

People working in any of these healthcare careers are more than just critical members of a healthcare team, they are some of our most essential workers during a crisis.

Critical technical trades

Maybe less obvious as essential careers in the workforce, there are several trade and technical careers that are undoubtedly critical to keeping infrastructure intact during any local or national crisis or disaster.

• Electricians – When you ask yourself “what »ĺ´Ç±đ˛ő˛Ô’t run on electricity”, you can quickly come to the conclusion that without skilled electricians the giant machinery of not just healthcare but just about everything that moves would come to a screeching halt.

• HVAC Technicians – The world survived before central heat and air, right? Of course. But it’s safe to say a lot more people would struggle to survive a pandemic without the ability to not only manage the climate inside homes, hospitals and buildings everywhere, but also to control the indoor air quality. HVAC professionals are also the folks keeping refrigeration systems smoothly functioning to protect critical medical supplies, food and other essentials that simply wouldn’t fare well without it. There just isn’t enough ice.

• Welders – There are some essential careers that by their very nature are essential to other essential careers. Welders are integrally involved in just about every kind of infrastructure operation including HVAC, electrical and more. Without these employees working to manufacture the parts, technicians would be unable to service and repair the machinery.

Amidst a global pandemic, there are likely a lot more changes to come.  But what has become clearer than ever before is that essential workers, the men and women who get up and go to work every day – pandemic or not, are keeping the wheels on the bus in the post COVID-19 world as we know it. So, if you’re looking for what’s next for your career, why not consider a career path that makes YOU essential. If you’d like to learn more about the essential careers above, check out the programs at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝. ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ is training the next generation of indispensable heroes who keep our communities going in good times and bad. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a campus tour.