The holidays are fast approaching, and if you've been working in the same job for years, dreaming of upgrading to a rewarding career, you're probably dreading getting asked, "And what are you up to now?" The answer is always the same, and you just aren't excited about that answer.

This year, why not change the conversation? It doesn't have to be the same answer! Make the decision to upgrade your career and register for part-time night courses so that in just a few months, you'll be ready to jump head first into the HVAC industry as a certified gas technician.

Why go to a skilled trades school?

The short answer for this question is an easy one: "Why not?" But in all seriousness, there are so many reasons to decide to kick start your career at skilled trades school, I'll outline just a few here:

It makes sense financially

When you're thinking about going back to school and weighing your options, you are definitely going to consider cost as a factor. If you've been out of school and in the working world for a while, you have expenses, and fitting tuition into the mix can seem impossible.

On average, full-time university tuition is about $7,000 per year. Add in your living expenses and your total costs are high. And if you're going to school full-time, that doesn't leave much time to work and make money to cover these expenses. You don't want to start a new career buried in debt, and a private career college that offers fast skilled trades training helps you avoid that.

By going to a part-time program in the evenings and on weekends means that you can continue to work full-time while attending school. So, while you may feel like you are paying a lot up front, you will be able to earn while you learn. And because the course is less than a year, you will be able to move into your new rewarding career quickly and making money faster.

Skilled trades jobs are satisfying

People are happiest when they are able to their skills and abilities in their workforce, it just makes you more passionate about your work. Skilled trades are great because when you are working with your hands, you can't disengage from what you are doing. The skills you develop when training as a Gas Technician can't be achieved in any other setting. And even better, when your day as a Gas Fitter is done, you're done! You aren't always plugged in and have the opportunity to refresh your body and mind for the next work day.