10 Reasons You Should Consider Going to a Technical School
Technical schools, or technical colleges & institutes, prepare you for a specific trade or career. They are generally up to 2 years in length, some longer, depending on the program you choose. When finished, you’ll earn either a degree, certificate, or diploma depending on the program you choose.
While they often don’t generate the excitement, buzz or interest of a 4-year college, technical schools provide wonderful value and a unique pathway to career success. Consider the following before furthering your education.
- Cost. it’s not even close. It generally costs much less to attend a technical school than a traditional 4-year college. U.S. News and World Report notes the average cost of attending a technical college is $33,000 with many even less expensive. This is typically the cost of one year at a public four-year university.
- Time. With a time commitment of generally 2 years or less, you’ll begin earning a paycheck 2 years sooner than your peers attending 4-year schools.
- General Education Classes. Because your tenure at a technical school is shorter than a traditional college, classes are laser focused on the subject matter specific to your specialty. While there are still some required general education classes, they are beneficial to your chosen profession.
- Hands on learning. The skills you acquire at a technical school are often honed through hands on learning involving labs, internships, and work study. These experiences allow graduates to quickly become productive employees.
5. Industry experience. Most, if not all, instructors working at technical schools have many years of industry experience in the subject matter they are teaching. This direct knowledge of the industry, equipment, and employer expectations provides you with a distinct advantage.
6. Admission requirements. Applying to 4-year colleges can be very competitive and generally focuses on testing and your GPA. Technical school admission requirements are more relaxed with the focus primarily on meeting the minimum requirements to start a program.
7. Smaller class sizes. Classes at technical schools tend to be smaller, allowing more individualized attention with your instructors and networking opportunities with your classmates.
8. Job Placement. Technical schools offer training in high demand industries. This means you’ll graduate with the skills and training that are in demand. For example, Rosedale Technical College in Pittsburgh, PA lists the following placement rates on their website.
9. Rate of return. Lower tuition costs, shorter time spent on earning a degree, diploma, or certificate, and high placement rates all combine for a high rate of return on your investment.
10. Jobs. Many students at technical schools report having a job before they graduated. Because the high demand for technical skills remains high, employers are competing for the services of graduates.
While the 10 reasons listed above provide compelling arguments to attend a technical school, it ultimately has to be right for you. Before spending any money, or investing your time on additional education, do some research.
First, find out more about you. What are your interests? What are you passionate about? Personality and career assessment tests can help narrow your focus like the Career Personality Profiler. Next, ask family, friends, and acquaintances about their jobs. Shadow someone at work, if possible. Finally, when you have narrowed your interests even further, contact those schools offering programs aligned with your interests.
When you have decided on a few schools, ask them about their specific program offerings. Ask tough questions like:
- How much is tuition? Are there additional fees for books, labs, tools?
- What is the length of the program?
- What is the attendance policy?
- What are the graduation rates?
- What are the placement rates.
- What kind of jobs do graduates get?
- Can I speak with current students, instructors, and graduates?
Research, research, research! It’s up to you to find the right school, at the right price, for the right training to launch your career.
Regarding research, Raewyn Connell, an Australian Sociologist, said it best, “Research is something that everyone can do, and everyone ought to do. It is simply collecting information and thinking systematically about it.”