Attending Technical School Can Lead to a Job Right Away
By Ingrid Bryan, March 24, 2009
Whether you're changing careers or just out of high school, you have many different paths to choose from to continue your education. One path is to earn a certificate, degree, or diploma from a career college or technical school that will train you for a specific career, trade, or profession. Trade schools, career colleges and vocational degree programs train students for a variety of positions, including automotive technology, animal care, hairstylist, real estate, chef, and many other fields.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, six of the ten fastest growing occupational categories between 2004 and 2014 require less than a four-year degree. While the Department of Labor forecasts that job opportunities requiring a four-year degree will increase 17 percent during this time period, it also estimates that job opportunities requiring a two-year degree will increase 19 percent.
 Sheridan Technical Center in Hollywood, Florida has seen a huge increase in registration. According to Assistant Principal Annette Johnson, STC's registration has jumped from 3,500 in 2007 to 4,500 in 2008. Most of the student body consists of professional adults changing careers and foreigners. "We have a lot of immigrants coming in trying to get into the American workforce by going back to school," says Johnson.
Eighty-five percent of STC's graduates find jobs upon graduation, or even earlier. For example, the practical nursing students do the theory on-line or in class, and also get placed in a hospital, "...they are working as practical nurses with a teacher and the other nurses in the hospital to guide them…the ones that do a good job sometimes get hired before they finish their coursework."
Which Careers Can Lead to a Job Right Away?
Johnson says the big ones at STC are medical lab technology, automotive technology, patient care technology, surgical technology, and recently gaming technology. This program is designed to provide education and training in the repair and maintenance of casino gaming machines. Several states have legalized at least some form of gambling, allowing the operation of casino-type gaming machines. The popularity and profitability of slot and gaming machines across the nation yields huge revenues. With that, the need for slot and gaming machine mechanics will increase.
Financial Aid Options
No matter what school or course of study you choose, be sure to look into your financial aid options. An important question to ask a school you're interested in is whether financial assistance or student aid will be available to you. In particular, you might ask if the school participates in the federal student financial aid programs administered by the Department of Education.
For more information on student financial aid, see:
You may leave with some debt, but the fact that most students graduating with a degree from a Technical School find a job soon after receiving their diploma means being able to pay back school loans.
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