The beauty of the job market is that there are jobs for every level of competency and skill. If you do not have the inclination to invest the time and money required to earn a bachelor’s degree, you can always choose from short term trade degrees and land up with a job in much quicker time.

Trade certificate and degrees train you in job-specific skills. Automotive technicians, marine technicians, welding technicians, air conditioning technicians, wood & metal technicians, electricians, bike and car mechanics, machine operators, and carpenters are some of the jobs that a trade career can offer. Depending upon your interests, you can choose from a wide variety of trade certificates, diplomas and degree programs.

Benefits of Trade Programs

In recent years there has been a proliferation of trade schools because the competition for well paid jobs has become stiff. Trade careers are perfect for those who want to enter the job market fast and are not interested in investing too much time and money for a college or university degree.

Some of the benefits of trade programs are:

• They directly prepare you for a rewarding career
• They focus on providing knowledge and skills relevant to the job market
• You can take up a trade program that offers the option of apprenticeship and start earning immediately
• They offer practical knowledge of the trade and equip you with the right kind of skills in case you want to start up your own business as owners of electric repair center, air-conditioning maintenance unit, automotive garage, furniture workshop, etc.
• They can help you to upgrade your existing career by going for a specific trade program relevant to your field. For example, an automobile mechanic can become a certified diesel mechanic in a very short period of time, thus improving the career prospects

Demand for Qualified Trade Professionals

The demand for qualified trade professionals is on the rise. As per The US Department of Labor, jobs for workers in installation, maintenance, and repair occupations will see growth at 11.4 percent with 657,000 more jobs by 2014. Automotive service technicians and mechanics and general maintenance and repair workers will account for almost half of all new installation, maintenance, and repair jobs. The fastest growth rate will be among security and fire alarm systems installers, an occupation that is expected to grow 21.7 percent over the 2004-14 period.

Employment for construction and extraction workers is expected to grow by 12 percent, adding 931,000 new jobs by 2014. Construction trades and related workers will account for more than three-fourths of these new jobs.

The average salaries depend upon the chosen trade and the state in which they are employed. The median salary of mobile heavy equipment mechanics is $18.34 per hour with the highest 10% earning $26.27 per hour. Model makers earn an hourly wages of $21.28, lathe operators earn $15.04 an hour and machinists earn a median hourly wage of $16.33.