Q. What is the difference between a trade school and a college?
A: Trade schools provide job-oriented training for specific careers, while colleges focus on academic credentials. However, many colleges offer trade and vocational programs.
Q. What is it like to learn a trade?
A. Vocational training combines classroom with hands-on practice to prepare graduates for careers in areas like healthcare, technology, emergency services, and the skilled trades.
Q. What are examples of vocational jobs?
A. Vocational jobs include medical assistant, radiology technician, mechanic, paralegal, paramedic, and cosmetologist.
Q. How much does it cost?
A. Cost varies by program and school, but in Texas, many community colleges offer vocational programs for under $3,000 per year.
Q. Why does Mrs. Stephens recommend these options?
A. While there are many reputable vocational training programs across the state, Mrs. Stephens encourages students and families to first investigate some of the public institutions to compare the programs and pricing.
As our local community college, Lone Star offers some of the most affordable training for certifications and vocational programs, but as it does not have an option for housing, I wanted to share two other public schools for trades - Texas State Technical College and Lamar Institute of Technology - which do have options for on-campus meals and housing, for students who cannot or do not want to continue to live at home.