The Underestimated Value of Trade School
By Isaac Ortiz
isaacortiz117@gmail.com
Straight out of high school, my options were very limited. Graduating with a 2.1 GP, I wasn’t sure if I was going to graduate at all.
My first option was to work at a minimum wage job and hope that a music career would pan out, take a shot at the stock market, trade school, and if I was seriously down on my luck, maybe even consider the drug trade.
I took a crack at the mechanic school program at Solano Community College straight out of high school. It gave me a brief glimpse into what I could possibly accomplish financially.
The truth is, not everyone is cut out for a College education – that’s the hard reality. Trade school can be a safety net for those who do not have many options, let alone financial mobility.
I didn’t want to go to college out of high school, It felt too rigid for me, and quite honestly, it still does. Many of my peers, who were in rough financial and domestic situations, were bound to slip through the cracks and become statistics.
Many of the men in my life are tradesmen: semi-truck drivers, electricians, drywallers, carpenters. All noble professions for people who may not have the resources for a higher education.
In my brief semester in mechanic school, the intro class is offered at Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville, California. I thought it was beautiful that these kids were entrusted to work on machinery that would be considered dangerous for the average person.
They often competed in competitions with other schools or fleshed out their love for automotives. They had a moviesque lot filled with gutted cars, project cars, and beloved relics – my favorites being a 60’s era Pontiac GTO and a 69’ Chevy Nova.
In California, only 42% of the High Schools have an automotive program, let alone other shop classes. For those less likely to go to college, that 42% is not enough.
Even for those who don’t pursue an automotive program in a postsecondary education, it still is valuable information. Tire rotation, oil change, spark plugs, and coolant basics can save anyone some cash and prolong the life of their vehicle.
With the rising cost of University tuition, trade school offers a viable option for those who want well-paying jobs without strenuous debt.
According to Forbes, the price to attend a four-year university rose 180% from 1980 to 2020, with the total cost being $28,775 in the 2019-2020 school year.
City College has 11 programs in trades, with multiple certificates within those programs. Last year, I spent two semesters in the retail floristry program.
Many of my peers were already in the field: retail florists, sellers, business owners, and freelancers. The head of the department, Professor Steven Brown, brought real-world practice into the classroom environment.
In my short stint there, I gained information and skills that translate to industry practice. At my 9-to-5 job at Whole Foods, I work in a produce department.
It’s expected that we make bouquets for customers upon request, and most of the time, I am the dedicated person for it because of the skills I acquired during the retail floristry classes.
Vocational and trade schools could see a renaissance in the upcoming years. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, vocational-focused two-year colleges are seeing a steady rise in enrollment.