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FALL 2019
HOMESCHOOL IOWA 15
High School to Trade School
G
rade school, middle school, high
school, college is the natural child-
hood-to-adulthood progression we
most often here. But, for a lot of people, the
“college” piece of that progression doesn’t fit.
For these students, a better optionmight be to
learn a trade, either through an internship, on-
the- job experience, classes at a trade school or
community college, or a combination of all four!
If your student is planning to attend a
trade school, there are some things you
and your teen should consider:
• Is it possible to earn the trade school
degree or obtain the certifications neces-
sary for the chosen career path while still
in high-school? Or would it be better to
complete high-school then obtain the
degree or certificate?
• What local schools are available to
get the degree from? Or will a school in
another place serve the student’s need
better? Also, is there a distance learning
program available that would be a good
fit for the student’s needs?
• Is it possible to take CLEP tests to
test out of some of the required classes?
If so, does the student already have the
knowledge and skills necessary to test
out of classes? When are the tests and
how much will they cost?
• Is the program an accredited Associ-
ates Degree program or simply a certificate
program? If it’s a certificate program, is the
certificate recognized by industry leaders?
• Will the school accept a homeschool
high school transcript and homeschool
diploma or do they require testing?
• What is the cost? Are there scholar-
ships available?
• Does the school offer any career
placement assistance?
What about the future for your trade-
school-bound teen?
Studies by The National Center for Educa-
tional Statistics show that individuals who
complete at least a Bachelor’s degree earn over
30%more than their peers who only complete
high school and over 20% more than their
peers with an Associate’s degree. Do those
statistics mean that your trade-school-bound
teen will be locked into a lifetime of low-pay-
ing jobs? No, some trades pay very well! Also,
the possibility of pursuing a Bachelor’s degree
in the future is an option for your teen. Bonus,
many employers offer to pay for continuing
education classes, including the completion of
higher-level degrees as a part of the benefits
package offered to their employees.
Trade-School-bound young adults start
working in their careers earlier than college
graduates and with much less educational
debt. CNBC reports that nearly 70% of college
students take out loans to pay for school and
the average student loan debt is over $35,000/
college graduate. Various studies show that it
takes most students nearly 20 years to pay
off their student loans. It is important to re-
member that completing a four-year college
degree does not guarantee financial stability.
What types of careers are open to students
who attend a trade school?
The job opportunities cross all industries!
In the medical field, radiation therapists, di-
agnostic sonographers, dental hygienists, and
vet techs are all popular jobs that require a
two-year degree. There are good careers in
the industrial field too, including electricians,
industrial mechanics, and petroleum techni-
cians. Residential services are a strong field
for entrepreneurial young people to pursue;
plumbers, HVAC technicians, and construction
professionals can either develop their own
businesses or work for established companies.
For detail-oriented teens careers as a para-
legal, court reporter or real estate transaction
manager can be lucrative. You can get entry-
level positions as a web developer, graphic art-
ist, or IT specialist without a four-year degree
and can progress professionally as you build
experience and continue to learn in these ever-
changing fields.
If you are home educating a student who is
interested in starting a trade rather than going
straight on to college after high school, your
educational plan may look a little different
than the college-prep track of other students
who have chosen a career path that starts with
a college degree. Homeschooling gives you
the freedom to customize each child’s edu-
cation plan to meet their specific needs and
future plans. You can be confident that your
high school student will graduate with a solid
educational foundation for whatever career
path they choose.