Not everyone gets an opportunity to pursue a four-year college degree. Nor does everyone want to attend college. Fortunately, for students of any age, various options including trade and technical schools can help you land a fulfilling career without going the traditional route.
However, choosing between a trade and technical school can be confusing and overwhelming. The key is understanding their differences, your goals and needs, and the career opportunities each type of education can offer you.
SchoolMatchPro.com is here to assist you in deciding which school may be suitable for you, and how to connect to that school to launch your education, and new career!
What Are Trade Schools?
Trade schools focus more on hands-on programs that prepare you for a particular career path or trade. The programs are often completed in one to two years, but sometimes sooner.
As skilled job training is the main focus of trade schools, you will generally not take academic subjects unrelated to the job you are preparing for. For example, if you choose a carpentry program, you’ll learn how to measure materials, manage projects, or read blueprints. But you won’t’ be studying sociology or psychology.
Job opportunities that await you when choosing trade schools include plumber, welder, electrician, HVAC tech, automotive technician or mechanic, childcare worker and more.
What Are Technical Schools?
Technical schools or colleges offer associate degrees, licenses, and certifications that you’ll need for a specific career. Unlike a typical four-year educational institution, you can complete programs in specialized tech schools often in one to two years; and depending on the program, sometimes even sooner.
As a result of this condensed, targeted education, you won’t be learning a broad knowledge-base but will immediately start accumulating the expertise and skills that will be helpful for your targeted career path.
However, compared to trade schools, technical schools might include more lectures, more online classes, and more exams.
Among the programs that technical schools offer include computer programming, radiation therapy, information technology, graphic design, nursing, dental hygiene, and more.
Deciding Between a Trade School and Technical School
Trade and technical schools can help equip you with the right skills to secure an entry-level job, or to continue to progress in the career you already have. However, your choice in schools depends on your chosen field or career path, and weather you prefer hands on learning, or online learning.
For example, if you want to be a welder or cosmetologist (hands on), you might want to choose a trade school. Technical colleges don’t always offer these kinds of programs, so a trade school may be for you.
If you’re wanting to join the workforce as a computer programmer (online classes), trade school may not be for you, but earning a degree or certification in data science through a technical school could be.
Both trade schools and technical schools have pros and cons. For instance, trade schools usually have small class sizes, and the cost could be significantly less than a college degree. Here, night classes are often offered, allowing you to juggle work and studies.
Technical schools are also generally cheaper than a four-year degree and usually take less time to complete your education than a university degree. Here, online courses are often offered allowing you to pursue your education while still working.
Of course, the cons of each are just like that of a four-year degree. You have to put in the work, stay dedicated and keep your eye on the prize.
School Match Pro understands how stressful choosing a school can be. That’s why we’re here to assist you in making more well-informed decisions that can benefit you.
From deciding whether to take online or in-person classes to studying full-time or part-time, we’re here to help you weigh the pros and cons, so you can decide what’s best for you.
Whether you pursue an education in business, IT, nursing, plumbing, computer networking, or more, we can match you to the program or school that best fits your goals.
Simply go to SchoolMatchPro.com to discover all the programs, degrees, and certifications available to you, right now!
Sources:
https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/career-training/pros-and-cons-trade-school/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-technical-school
https://www.bestcolleges.com/trades/trade-school-vs-technical-college/
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