While many parents encourage their children to attend college to get promising careers, often times they forget to mention trade schools and their lucrative path to a career in construction. In a recent blog post on NAHB Now, the organization, in partnership with Generation T and Lowe’s, lists 10 reasons why parents should encourage their high school-aged children to consider the skilled trades after graduation.
Trade School is Less Expensive Than College
While the average price of college is nearly $10,000 per year in the U.S. for tuition alone, trade school is just $5,000 to $15,000 total for a certificate of completion or trade diploma. College tuition doesn’t factor in extras such as housing and textbooks. Trade school is short enough that students don’t typically require long-term housing.
They Can Start Working (and Earning Money) Quickly
Most students finish trade school in as little as 12 to 18 months, and in between apprenticeship levels, they engage in paid, on-the-job training. After a few weeks in school, your teen could be earning money while gaining valuable work experience.
The Sky’s the Limit When it Comes to Job Growth
Entering a skilled trade means committing to several levels of an apprenticeship before becoming a licensed journey person. That means that as soon as your child starts their career, they’re in line for several promotions (and pay raises), provided they complete their schooling and work experience at each apprenticeship level. Once they become a journey person, there’s still plenty of growth opportunities.
