Certifications in a Year with Vocational or Technical Colleges and Programs

Not all careers require a four-year degree from a university — many professions place more value in an industry certification and workplace experience. Positions such as information technology experts, dental hygienists, radiology technicians, and medical transcriptionists often require a certification that takes much less time to earn than a bachelor's degree. Find out if a certificate program is right for you.

• The Best Jobs That Don't Require A Bachelor's Degree

There are plenty of careers you can achieve in a year!  From Pharmacy Tech, Culinary Arts, Dental Assisting, Cosmetology, Welding, Refrigeration, Web Design, Court Reporting, Hemodialysis Technician, Network Systems Administration, and so much more!!!!  Each can be certified at one of the local Technical Colleges.

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These careers are often associated with “blue collar” jobs, and sometimes carry some negative stereotypes in today’s culture. But the reality is that there are literally millions of people who work in skilled labor jobs, and they’re paid well, especially compared to newly-minted college graduates. The average starting salary for a college graduate is $45,000, while the average salary of someone who went through trade school is $42,000. Not much of a difference, and the trade school graduate is entering the workforce at least two years sooner.

In addition, you’re almost guaranteed a job coming out of one of these programs. There are numerous stories of large energy and construction projects that had to be canceled not due to money shortages, but due to labor shortages. Companies simply can’t find the skills to complete the work needed.

Yet another benefit of skilled labor is that your skills are not as exportable as those of people who sit at a computer in a cubicle all day. Even work that was formerly done by lawyers and doctors is being outsourced. You can’t outsource electrical or plumbing or welding jobs. These careers are truly what makes our nation run on a daily basis.

Mike Rowe, former host of Dirty Jobs, is doing his best to dispel the stereotypes surrounding blue collar work and is trying revive interest in the skilled trades.

Rowe started a foundation that provides resources, scholarships, and even a job board for those interested in pursuing skilled trades. So, what are some specific career options? Take a look at the partial list below, and learn more details about these trades at Rowe’s website:

• Construction
• Welding
• Landscaping
• Electrical
• Painting
• Forestry
• Photography
• Woodworking
• Masonry
• Locksmithing
• Metal Work

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