Advantages of Trade School Versus Four-Year College in Michigan

In school these days, students are always told that they'll be behind in life without a college degree. But is that actually the case for Michigan students entering the workforce? How will they fare compared to their four-year-college-educated counterparts?

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Career Builder states that in 2013, 47% of college-educated workers said their first job after college was not related to their college major. And 32% of college-educated workers reported that they hadn't yet ever been able to find a job related to their major.

Are Skilled Trades in High Demand in Michigan?

Pure Michigan Talent Connect found a significant professional trades shortage in Michigan that they expect will continue through 2026. They also claim that professional trades account for more than 545,000 Michigan jobs, and approximately 47,000 new job openings are expected annually.

Best Colleges is a great resource to start with when it comes to ideas. Not only does it show an extremely wide variety of career options, but it also gives projected employment growth in many fields.

What Skills Are Currently in High Demand in Michigan?

With skilled trades like construction, information technology, energy, and manufacturing currently in high demand in Michigan, that will give most folks looking into a useful career path a good starting point. But, if those skills don't match your wants or needs, there are also many unique skilled trades (that may not be top of mind) to consider.

What Are Some Unique Skilled Trades in Michigan?

According to National Center for Education Statistics (N.C.E.S.) there are 63 Michigan trade schools. These institutions include popular trades like cosmetology. But they also offer some unique options including medical education, aviation, and even boat building. But I guess that shouldn't come as any big surprise in the Great Lakes State, right?

According to Blue Collar Job Tracker, Michigan had the 5th highest percentage of blue-collar jobs in the country in 2016, which is a positive for prospective tradespeople.

Advantages of Trade School Compared to 4-Year Degrees

When looking into cost comparisons between trade schools and college degrees, I found a couple interesting facts. Forbes states that, not only can trade schools help students land jobs more quickly, but they also cost significantly less than a traditional college education. They also report that trade jobs are growing in general, whereas many industries are oversaturated with recent college graduates looking for work.

So, with 63 Michigan trade schools to choose from, the options are plentiful and growing. It's important that teachers and guidance counselors in Michigan high schools present trade school as a viable alternative to a four-year college degree.