If you attend trade school, you are choosing one of a number of options to, presumably, progress with your chosen career.
For the majority that attend trade school, they’ve already made a decision about the type of vocation they wish to embark upon.
There are, of course, and just like any type of school, some advantages and disadvantages.
We highlight some of those advantages and disadvantages of trade school below.
Advantages of Trade School
1 Specialized career path
When you attend a trade school, chances are you already have a pre-determined career path.
Thus, students are given the opportunity to partake in activities that directly impact their chosen vocation.
2 Experience is hands-on
Students get hands-on work experience at trade schools.
This is a definite advantage for many trades such as plumber, electrician, builder, etc.
3 Skills learned at trade school are relevant
Quite unlike many other types of schooling, trade schools equip students with skills that are completely relevant to their future vocation.
4 Customized career services
Trade schools frequently offer customized career services to students to help find work.
5 No set admission-date calendar
Trade schools rarely follow traditional school calendar admission dates. If you wish to join a trade school course, generally, you can do so at any time of year.
6 Usually less expensive
Trade schools are, in general, less expensive than other types of schools and colleges.
For many, graduating from college means dealing with sizable debts. Not necessarily so for trade school students.
7 Educational format is job-specific
And because the educational format is specific to the job, students gain the right vocational skills from the get-go.
8 Smaller class sizes
Smaller class sizes at trade schools means more one-to-one time with the lecturer.
9 Less time to graduation date
Depending on the course, trade school courses, in general, take less time to complete than other schooling routes.
Less time to complete + less debt + more rapid job hire = happy student.
Disadvantages of Trade Schools
1 One singular subject
Trade school courses consist of one single subject. That creates a particularly narrow knowledge base and less transferable skills.
2 Job opportunities have a limited scope
Because trade schools focus on one singular subject matter, and, generally speaking, one singular career focus, scope for choice after graduation is limited.
3 Not always the cheaper option
Cost of attending trade school is sometimes high dependent on the materials required to finish the course and the course duration.
4 Trade schools offer limited flexibility
With regards to choices and to change of course if unsatisfied with the initial course choice, trade schools are, on the whole, fairly limited.
5 Trade schools are limited in number
Academic-type schools are far more numerous than trade schools. Thereby, course, location, and trade school choice are limited.
6 No guarantee of a job after graduation
It’s true that if you attend trade school, there’s no guarantee of work afterwards.
However, the same can be said about any type of school.
7 Jobs can be hard to come by
When you enroll at a trade school, as mentioned, your coursework is relatively singularly focused in nature.
This means that if there are limited jobs available in your chosen job sector, you could struggle to find work.
8 Specializing equates to limited career path
As touched on previously, as a graduate of a trade school, you’ll have limited scope with regards to career path.
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