6 Benefits of Attending Trade School
Over numerous generations, it has been a common encouragement from parents for their offspring to pursue higher education. Degrees from established universities have paved the way for the youth into sectors like medicine, science, technology, among others. The roles in these fields are deemed prestigious as they typically offer higher earnings than their counterparts.
But not every person wants to attend college. The work that is done in traditional college classes can feel overwhelming and not applicable to the real world. Many people want to do something more hands-on and practical. This is where going to trade school can open up many occupational opportunities for young people.
These skilled positions pay decent salaries and have been providing for families for decades. We’ll talk about all of the benefits of going to trade school, from the ones listed above to the good rates on trade insurance for 21-year-olds.
#1 – Trades Are Rewarding Work
We all know people make fun of certain trades. Being someone who fixes people’s electrical outlets or their water pipes seems like a drag to much of the population. The thing about these jobs, though, is that they are incredibly rewarding in a variety of forgotten ways.
If you decide to become a plumber or an electrician, you can be assured that the work you are doing is vital to everyone in society. Not many people know how to fix these essential components of their homes. People who do these trade jobs are helping other people to live comfortably and productively.
#2 – Trades Make the World Run Smoothly
Without trade jobs, there simply wouldn’t be enough people who know how to perform DIY fix-ups on their homes. Clogged toilets and broken hoses in the kitchen don’t have to be the end of the world because of those who went to trade school. Trade workers can be proud of the jobs they do every day to make sure society runs smoothly and efficiently.
The good news is more and more people are realizing how important and enjoyable it is to get their hands dirty and work around the house. Young folks who help their parents to upgrade their home realize how interesting these projects are. Working in these industries and getting paid for it is a lot more fulfilling than people used to think it was.
#3 – Trades Make Good Money
Trade professions making poor money is one of the assumptions that need to end. Many people do not pursue these fields because they think they can’t make a good living. They equate these jobs to minimum wage opportunities with no chance for salary growth or career advancement.
Many jobs in plumbing, electrical, and construction can make close to six figures. They don’t start in this range, and it takes time to work up to this salary, but there is growth in these fields that isn’t present in jobs like retail or fast food.
They also present entrepreneurial chances that low-income jobs do not. If you have an identifiable trait you can use to your advantage in the trade of your choice, start your own company and run with it.
#4 – Trades Lead to Entrepreneurialship
Trades often lead to people expanding their reach into other fields and partnering with other businesses. This leads to good money in other sectors of work. A roofer can partner with a pest control agency, or an electrician can throw in a free set of lightbulbs or batteries with every appearance at your home, hoping you become a customer in the future.
There is a lot more creativity present in these fields than was previously thought. The pandemic has made it even harder to find tradespeople who are willing to do everything they used to.
This is either because they don’t agree with the safety mandates or because they do not want to enter other people’s homes. Working the market and the competition to your advantage is something that is ripe for tradespeople at this time and will be financially advantageous.
If you start your own business in one of these fields, you’ll need to think about getting auto insurance for tradespeople. This is for those who will be driving a company car to the homes they will be servicing. Auto insurance is especially important in the event of a company car accident, as you don’t want your company to be sued.
Young people have a hard time finding auto insurance for decent rates, but you should be able to get better ones on their industrial car insurance than their personal policies. Use a car insurance calculator to make sure you are getting the best rates.
#5 – Trade School Costs Less Money to Attend
The average cost of trade school is tens of thousands of dollars less than traditional university tuition. This is partly because trade school is typically a two-year venture. This is yet another reason to go to trade school.
Young folks are tired of spending four or even six years getting a degree when they could go to technical college for a fraction of the time and get a great job that will secure them financially for the rest of their lives.
Student loan debt is one of the huge crises facing the U.S. More and more students are afraid to take on the loans that are required to go to college. When weighing the cost of school with the gains from the potential jobs you can get from that schooling, the scales are tipping in favor of finding alternative education or employment.
#6 – Trades Never Go Out of Style
One of the hardest parts of being employed in any industry is the way it changes over the course of your career. Older workers find themselves losing out to younger prospects due to age discrimination. Companies think they can find cheaper and smarter help from the new generation rather than the old guard.
Look at the computer engineering field for a great example of the evolution of skills required to be successful. Computers 20 years ago were so vastly different from what they are today. Go back further, and someone who got their degree in this field in the 1980s is going to be a fish out of water when presented with what technology is prominent today.
Trades don’t really ever go out of style. If you got a technical certification in your 20s, you should still be able to change the same water hoses on homes in your 60s if you need to. The materials used to build and maintain homes have changed, but not at the rate of other industries like computers.
If you want a job you know will be valuable no matter what decade you decide to work until, you’ll think about going to trade school. They teach transferable skills that are valuable for life.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the insurance comparison site, USInsuranceAgents.com. He enjoys helping young people understand the non-traditional or undervalued job opportunities available to them.
