Learning a trade, whether business office administration, automotive skills, dental assistant skills, or HVAC technician skills, can offer a wide range of benefits upon completing your diploma. With that said, learning a trade that you’re passionate about can be extremely rewarding. Some of the top benefits of learning a trade include:

• Job opportunities: Trades are always in demand across various industries, and learning a trade and earning a diploma can open the door to numerous job opportunities. Common sectors for tradespeople include construction, automotive, electrical work, dentistry, HVAC, plumbing, and more.
• Shorter training period: Compared to traditional four-year institutions, trade school programs are often much shorter, taking as little as 10 months to complete, depending on the program. This means students can enter the workforce faster and start earning income.
• Cost-effective: Compared to traditional four-year educations, trade schools, and community colleges are often more cost-effective, with lower tuition fees and a shorter duration.
• Entrepreneurial opportunities: Learning a trade can also set you up for your own entrepreneurial endeavors down the line. As you learn valuable skills and knowledge, you can eventually open up your own business if you aspire to be self-employed or run your own business.
• Hands-on training: Rather than spending most of your time in the classroom, attending a trade school offers more opportunities for hands-on training in workshops or simulated environments, allowing you to gain real-world experience and apply what you’ve learned immediately to develop practical skills.

Choosing a trade can be challenging at the start. However, to begin your trade school journey, consider your interests. For example, if you’re interested in helping others and working closely with patients, you may want to consider a dental assistant program or medical assistant program. Or, if you prefer hands-on work that involves problem-solving, an automotive technician or electrical technician program might be a good match. At Workforce Career Center, our Los Angelestrade school campus offers a wide range of trade programs to choose from that match an expansive array of interests.

You can also consider things you already know and are already good at doing. Steer into your existing skill set, and you will find trade school easier to manage, and you’ll likely find a trade that you can enjoy as a career. You can explore short-term career training programs, which are shorter learning experiences in different professions where you can get a real feel for hands-on work in a specific trade. If you find one that leaves you feeling satisfied after a day’s work, then you may have found a trade that speaks to you.

You can also discuss trade school program options with admissions representatives. Workforce Career Center has admissions representatives who can discuss trade options with you and help you explore the different paths that might work for you. You can pair those discussions with our program match quiz and similar tools.