As you finish your four years in high school and start looking towards your post secondary journey, university and college aren't the only options for your next steps. Choosing trades school after high school opens up doors to fulfilling careers in a shorter span of time than most public university or college programs.

What is the difference between a trade school and a college?

Many people have asked: is trade school college? The short answer is no. You can attend a public college and obtain a college diploma in a trade, but that diploma will differ from what you will obtain at a trade school.

When attending a college, most programs will require you to take courses outside of what you are studying as electives. At private career schools you exclusively learn your trade, with classes that focus on giving you the skills you need. These programs are geared to ensure you leave the program ready for a career in that chosen trade.

College programs also take longer to complete, as a result of having to take courses outside your discipline. A trade school program at private career schools can be completed in a much shorter timespan, so you don’t have to spend as much time in school. These programs allow you to move on to your career much faster.

Find a Skilled Trades Program

Start by narrowing down a list of skilled trades you’re interested in. Most trades programs focus on one, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay specific to the trade you studied. In fact, many trades offer transferrable skills you can use in different fields. One example of this kind of transferrable trade is gas technician training. Once you’ve completed your Gas Technician 3 and Gas Technician 2 certifications, you can take that training into apprenticeships in various different fields.

If you’re ready to take the next steps and begin your skilled trades training, you’re in luck! We have courses starting as soon as September 4th. Click here for more details on our up coming course, and to view more course dates, click below.