As spring approaches, seniors all over are faced with finding a solid answer to the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Picking from a large pool of careers can be a daunting task, especially when it seems like the only way to have a career is by going to college. However, there are many alternatives to going to the “traditional” four-year university route.
For example, trade schools or technical colleges, joining the military, apprenticeship or even going straight into the workforce are some of the many different possibilities after high school graduation.
One popular direction towards a future career are trade schools. Megan Waddell graduated in December of 2022 and chose the cosmetology route after high school.
“I graduated through an online home schooling program called Penn Foster,” Waddell said. “I realized in-person school wasn’t for me. It took me about eight months to finish my last two years of high school.”
Currently, Waddell is enrolled at LA Luna Hair Academy to become a hairstylist.
“There are a lot of benefits going into a trade school,” Waddell said. “It’s a lot cheaper financially than a four-year college. [It’s] also only ten months so I will get to start my dream job before I even turn 18.”
Although cosmetology school can be cheaper than university in some cases, it can be difficult to actually reap the benefits.
“Since so many people go to cosmetology school it is a very competitive industry,” Waddell said. “You have to work really hard if you want to be one of the top stylists and make the big bucks…”
In addition to a potentially smaller financial strain, less of a time commitment can be an appealing aspect of trade schools.
Nixa High School college and career counselor Joy Horgan said that a key advantage to college alternatives is a shorter schooling experience.
“If you go to a trade school, you’re not going to be going as long,” Horgan said. “So, some schools might have an 18 week program and then … you’ve got a certificate and you’re out working. Whereas if you go to a [technical] school, depending on the area, you might have to also take some extra [classes], like a reading or a math class.”
Senior Jesse College plans to attend Ozarks Technical Community College for a welding certification. As opposed to a four-year university, College is able to earn his certification in almost five months.
“At OTC, It’s a 20 week program –give or take for additional classes such as pipe fitting or other various welding types,” College said. “It takes patience – very repetitive practice is required if you want to be a good welder.”
College said the benefit of going to OTC in pursuit of welding is that it is cheaper than most colleges, like many technical schools.
“You’re taught a skill set that will help you and likely others for your whole life,” College said. “Not only that, you will never be out of a job.”
Another alternative to a four-year college path is joining the military.
Choosing the military route can appeal to many students as it can assist in college tuition. However, Horgan said the military isn’t for everyone.
“It’s a huge commitment, and so you have to be not only mentally prepared but physically prepared…” Horgan said. “[However,] the military will end up paying for your college if that’s what you need. The military will train you on your job, you’re getting paid well, you’re getting the training – but you have to be the right person to go into the military.”
Senior Hailey Anderson is interested in joining the military following high school graduation.
“I plan on joining [the] National Guard and then … I plan on going to [Missouri State University] MSU to get my teaching degree,” Anderson said. “After all that, I plan on teaching government. What I would like to do after eight years of serving, [is] to become a [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps] ROTC instructor… – My [JROTC] instructor has been a huge inspiration for me.”
One advantage of joining the military is the wide range of opportunities or jobs one can pursue.
“I would say if [someone’s] heart is not set for college – which is a lot of people here in the [JROTC] program – if you’re an active person, stick with [the field],” Anderson said. “There’s some desk jobs if you don’t like that or you’re not [a field] person. Stick with the job that sparks your interest. If you do decide … [that you] want to switch over, they’ll let you, it’s just a whole process. I would say stick to something that catches your eye.”
Being in school from kindergarten to 12th grade can seem like forever. For some students, going to school again after high school graduation is the last thing they want to do. Luckily, there are options for those who don’t have immediate college pursuits.
“A lot of careers now are doing apprenticeships, and so you can go work for a few years and kind of do on-the-job training and get that work experience…” Horgan said.
Additionally, some companies can cover the cost of tuition if one chooses to go back to college.
“A lot of companies now are doing tuition reimbursement, so you might go work for a couple of years and realize what you want to do as a full-time career,” Horgan said. “… Then those companies will pay you for tuition reimbursement. So you can work, get paid and then get your college paid for.”
When deciding on post-graduation plans, it is important to remember that what matters most is taking the route that is best for the individual.
“First and foremost, [a school] needs to have the major that you want,” Horgan said. “Don’t just go to a school because your friends are going there, or … following your boyfriend or girlfriend. Just make sure they have the major that you want to earn. Cost is another thing to consider – don’t get so far into college debt that you’re not going to find your way out of it.”
Whether it’s a technical school, trade school, the military or any other four-year university alternative, there are many ways to get to the desired career.
“You don’t need to go to college to be successful,” Waddell said. “It’s all about doing what you want to do and reaching your goals. Don’t let someone tell you that ‘you need a four-year degree to make money.’ That is so far from the truth nowadays. If you put in the work you can … be successful.”
