Trade schools, also known as vocational schools, are post-secondary educational institutions that offer training in a variety of fields. Training is usually hands-on, allowing people to go straight from a trade school to work in the field for which they were trained, assuming that jobs are available. There are many trade schools, and they may offer very specific curriculum in certain areas or a wide range of certificate programs to prepare people for different types of jobs.
Trade school isn’t always considered post-secondary education. Students in countries such as Finland may be divided into career and academic studies. Those who enroll in a Finnish career school will receive practical training in a variety of fields, including information technology (IT), hospitality, practical nursing, and certain artisan jobs.
Trade school is typically pursued after high school graduation in countries such as the United States, and studies can be varied. There are schools that teach people how to do things like secretarial or paralegal work, information technology, auto repair, and art and design, to name a few. Many trade schools in the United States assist students in obtaining certification in specific fields. Those studying nursing, for example, could get the education they need to take the exams for licensed practical nursing (or licensed vocational nursing).
In the United States, most trade schools offer certificate programs rather than traditional college degrees. Although some programs do result in associate’s degrees, this is unusual. Trade schools that offer both practical or vocational education and higher-level degrees are becoming more popular.
Some trade schools are public, and public universities that aren’t solely dedicated to teaching trades can offer certificate or vocational training. Nursing, secretarial work, IT, a variety of different types of repair, and hospitality work are just a few of the programs available at community colleges. Although public schools are far less expensive than private vocational schools, the majority of trade schools in the United States are private.
The quality of vocational schools varies significantly, so prospective students should consider the school’s reputation, the cost of attendance, appropriate local or national accreditation, and how the school is regarded the trade in which they want to train. Private, non-accredited schools sometimes offer extremely expensive educations that do not provide students with the necessary training to work in a specific field.
For many people, going to a trade school or enrolling in community college trade programs is a viable option for learning a career. Most programs are completed in a year or two, allowing people to begin working sooner rather than learning a profession that requires many years of study. One issue that may arise is for people who wish to return to school to earn degrees after having attended trade school. Some trade education studies and units may not be transferable to certain colleges, but this is dependent on the college a person wishes to attend.