With trade schools becoming more and more popular, students have suddenly been presented with a wider range of options at more affordable prices. Even students who have parents that fall under the low income bracket have a chance at studying further without putting themselves or their parents in debt.

Trade schools are very different in their approach to teaching compared to colleges. This is the reason why completing a vocational course gives you a much better chance of landing a job than spending years and money on college. Here are a few ways in which trade schools achieve this:

Detailed Knowledge of the Subject

The most important thing that trade schools do differently is that they provide the student with a lot of knowledge related to his subject. The student learns the history, the economics, the market, the different strategies and also some additional background information about his/her subject. Only then do they move on to the theory and the practical skills. So for instance if you were to enroll for a course in carpentry, along with how to actually work with wood and build things you would learn about all the different types of wood, the world wood market, the leading suppliers of wood, the history of timber and so on.

You would also get a lot of information about all the different tools carpenters work with and the history and use of each tool. Basically, by the end of the course you would know everything there is to know about carpentry and more!

Practical Skills

As opposed to colleges, trade schools offer opportunities for their students to actually apply what they have learnt during the course. A lot of guidance is given with regard to how to approach each project efficiently. Practical skills like how to handle tools, short cuts and ways to quickly but accurately measure materials, etc. are given a lot of attention. The focus here is on how to actually use what you learn in the real world.

Real Life, Hands on Experience

Trade schools provide time and working space so that students can practice everything they have learnt whenever they wish to do so. All this practical application is included in the duration of the course, so when it comes time to venture into the real world, you will already have plenty of practice with handling tools and designing furniture.

Save on Time and Money

The best thing about trade schools is that unlike colleges they do not cost a bomb. You can complete and entire course in as little as $4000. And this is the cost for the entire course; ten times less than what you would pay to colleges per annum. You would probably find institutions that ask for less.

Another thing I find appealing about trade schools is that they are very time efficient. Courses rarely exceed the duration of 18 months. There are no extra, irrelevant classes that you have to take for the sake of credit which is not the case in colleges.

Accreditation and Partnerships

Many vocational schools are properly accredited by the ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges) or other well reputed institutions. You can find a list of accredited trade schools at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. Accreditation goes a long way especially if you plan on studying after you complete your vocational course.

Some trade schools have ties and partnerships with companies that are in need of employees. This puts you at an advantage when looking for a job after your course is complete. But even if your school does not offer this, you can be assured that with the training and skill set you have received; any company would be willing to snatch you up.

Resources:

http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/
http://www.mscscarpentry.com
http://www.porterchester.com/
http://blueskypaintingpros.com