Why The Stigma Around Trade Schools Needs To End

There is a certain stigma around trade schools. ETI School of Skilled Trades is well aware of it and we want to end it. A common misconception is that many parents often think if a child, goes to a trade school, it’s because they are having problems in ‘real school.’ Young adults consider trade school students to be less smart as someone who goes to a traditional college. This just isn’t the case. Here are some reasons why trade school is actually a smart choice:

Labor Shortages

The nation’s labor shortage is at an all time high and the need for skilled trade workers is becoming urgent. Industry leaders say it’s due to the stigma around trades. American construction companies are struggling to find qualified workers for jobs that pay an average of $35,800 annually and require little traditional education.

Trade Schools are Less Expensive

Even with the tuition of four-year universities increasing, young adults say they aren’t interested in attending a trade school. According to The Simple Dollar, the average tuition for a student pursuing a bachelor’s degree is $127,000 and this doesn’t account for student loans and interest accrued. This also doesn’t account for the expensive college lifestyle – books, dorms, going out, paying for food, etc. Now compare this with the average trade school degree total of only $33,000, while ETI School of Skilled Trades’ is only $16,000..

Get into the Job Market Quicker

While the automatic reaction of life after high school is college, it simply doesn’t have to be. Trade school students have an advantage when it comes to getting a job quicker. Most trade school programs can be completed in just two years. ETI School of Skilled Trades offers both HVAC/R and Welding programs that can be completed in as little as seven months! This is significantly shorter than a four-year college education.

Consider All Options

Not everyone wants to work in an office setting or travel around to clients. Some people want to work with their hands and create. At the very least, it’s important to have a backup plan. Just because you have earned your HVAC/R certification doesn’t mean you have to work on HVAC units for the rest of your life. You can become a wind turbine technician, a project manager, a contractor or vendor, a manufacturer or you can even work in sales.  

If you’ve earned your Welding certification, this doesn’t mean you have to be a welder for the rest of your life. You can also work in sales, an underwater welder, a contractor or even a business owner.

ETI School of Skilled Trades

At ETI School of Skilled Trades, you can get trained and in the field in as little as seven months, with day or evening classes designed to fit your busy schedule. We also offer a unique employer-graduate match process that has had employers coming back to hire our graduates for the past 20 years.

Our HVAC/R program offers hands-on experience with industry-current equipment in our more than 15,000 sq. ft. lab. Our Skilled Welding program is designed to develop your welding skills by putting you in job-site simulations in our massive 13,000 sq. ft. welding lab. Ready to become essential? Contact ETI School of Skilled Trades at (888) 830-7678 for more information on our HVAC/R and welding programs.

Learn more about ETI School of Skilled Trades