Are there high school graduates who might be better off choosing a trade job instead of college? While I’m betting their parents could argue about what better off means, for some people trade work is actually their path to a career they love.
College has a lot to offer, but there is no doubt that not everyone needs college. Not if your end goal is to create a good career and sound financial future for yourself. Without a boat-load of debt weighing you down!
But the world around you doesn’t always agree with that. Or make it easy to pursue a path that seems less prestigious.
So what exactly is a skilled trade job?
Trade jobs are specialized skilled jobs classified as “blue collar” in that it’s not a traditional desk job. Or what is typically thought of as “professional work” … especially by many parents. Not that all college graduate jobs require you wear “white collars” nowadays, but these are very different career paths.
And despite what some people might say, skilled trade work is a totally legitimate professional choice. For some people a trade job instead of college actually offers a faster path to a satisfying and even potentially lucrative career. Without the heavy debt so many college graduates carry for far too long.
Trade work is different from manual labor jobs such as truck driver, field worker, maintenance person, production line worker, etc. although this not to say that these jobs don’t require skills of their own. And of course some jobs can fall between categories and offer their own career paths.
But compared to manual labor jobs, skilled trade jobs such as plumbers, mechanics, masons, carpenters, electricians, appliance repair, video editor, chefs, and construction workers do have a higher potential for earnings. And a greater potential for eventually managing your own business.
And the good new is there is currently a shortage of skilled trade workers in many fields!
⇒ MORE: Example of Skilled Trades in New York State
Moonstruck example of a good trade job
One of my favorite movies, Moonstruck, has a scene where one of the leads, Mr. Castorini, who owns a plumbing business, is talking to clients. He’s trying to get them to go for the more expensive choice of copper plumbing. “It costs money because it saves money!” he says with pride.
Now Mr. Castorini, although not a lawyer or doctor, has a very successful plumbing business. And a beautiful house in a lovely New York City neighborhood. And buys fancy jewelry for his mistress. Not that I want you to use him as a role model. The point is skilled trade work can be a solid career choice!
“But trade jobs are so low class!”
My father was a butcher. He worked hard and, although he came from another country and had a difficult time with the language for a while, he and my mother raised two children. And helped them go to college.
At his funeral, someone who considered themselves upper class dared to say “he was only a butcher but he was a good man.” It took all my strength not to create a scene.
As far as I’m concerned it was my dad who had class — he always treated people respectfully and took good care of us. But that man who had a profession that many admired was classless as far as I’m concerned.
It’s not what you do for a living. It’s who you are and how you treat people.
It’s not what you do.
It’s who you are!
“College offers so much beyond career!”
So there are indeed trade-offs of choosing a trade job instead of college. Here are just a few things college can give you that you might not get otherwise:
- You can take courses that help you become well-rounded.
- Knowledge of literature, the arts, psychology, economics, history, etc. can help you come up with innovative multi-disciplinary solutions and connect to others who will help your career later on.
- College offers you a career path to careers you might not otherwise be able to get into.
- You meet people from all over the country / world who may become a friend or provide helpful networking contacts for the rest of your life.
- College gives you a chance to explore various careers / interests and figure out who you really are.
But you also will always have the choice to educate yourself / take courses later on should you decide that a trade job instead of college is your preferred path now.
As for friendships & networking, you can meet interesting people within your own trade, in clubs you join, sports or hobbies, classes you take, travel, and even online. I met two of my dearest friends through my blogs!
A few more thoughts
None of this was meant to stop you from going to college. Or push you in either the college or skilled trade work direction. It’s just some thoughts about the possibility of choosing trade work after you graduate high school.
So many young people feel pressure to go to college. And yet more and more the world is coming to respect that there are other legitimate choices. Uh … some parents may not be quite as ready to accept that yet. 🙂
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