Kid wants to go for a job oriented course instead of a college!!

[Guest richardnh]

My kid is worried about what to do after his high school. He is more interested in doing any short term course on energy management  like solar installer course provided by Cestar college in Toronto and start to work instead of joining a regular college. As an older generation person, I am not sure how good are his interests. How can I make sure he is doing the right thing? How good are these short term career oriented courses?

[Jean in Newcastle]

We're thinking that ds might do a shorter term course initially while he finds out a little bit more about what his interests are.  Another reason is so that he can earn some money for college.  

[AHASRADA]

Our kids are thinking the same thing. So many trades are in high demand, while a number of college grads are out of work (or underemployed). They want to go to college, but will take a year or so to learn a practical skill and get a bit of a taste of the world, hopefully helping them to narrow their interests and aptitudes into a university major. This absolutely broadens their options.

 

I would encourage your ds to take the course. He may begin a successful career, or he might realize he doesn't want to do physical labor long-term and go to university after all. Either way, he will learn something about himself, the world of work, and have a marketable skill, even if he only uses it in the summers to earn better pay and experience than his friends who have no training.

[Ravin]

AHASRADA summed it up well.

 

Take a look at the particular program. Does it come with a hiring guarantee from the employer sponsoring it? Will it teach broad enough basic knowledge/skill be marketable with other companies, or just with their specialized equipment/setup?

 

I actually think it's a very smart move. If he was all, "I'm going to go work in the oil fields" not so much, because dirty/hazardous much? But tech jobs in the green energy sector are a growing field, it makes sense to go for it, and he can go back to college later if he wants to.

 

I joined the Navy out of high school, was trained as a technician, discovered I wasn't very good at it, got out and went to college, joined the ranks of the "underemployed college grads" and went back to law school. I graduate in May. DH went to culinary school in his mid-20's after working in restaurants for 10 years, after setbacks in the recession tanked his career, he went back to college (and is about to finish a master's degree).

 

I question the necessity and the wisdom of the straight-to-college track for high school students, especially when it will involve a lot of debt accumulation.

[SKL]

In the US, they can go back and do college at any age.  If that is true where you live, I would encourage whatever the youngster is truly self-motivated to do at present - and which doesn't burn any bridges.

 

I have a friend whose son wanted to be a hair stylist.  He was pretty worried for his son's future, and I don't know what private conversations they had, but the son went on to be a very high-paid stylist, doing hair for rich people's wives.  Whoda thunk?  So that will make me feel better if my kid persists in thinking she wants to be a career cosmetologist.  I say, whatever thou doest, do thy darnedest.

 

In my family, among the 6 siblings, all of us have some college, but only 2 went the traditional route.  Three got their bachelor's in their 30s or 40s.  One (the computer geek, whose services are in high demand) never finished his bachelor's.

[Tsuga]

No need to go to college right away, in the US anyway.

 

I went to college and at the time it worked out, but if my kids wanted to work to save money, I'd absolutely encourage it. Plus once you've worked in the field you have a stronger application anyway.

 

One thing I would strongly advise is, if your child is in the US, is to take the SAT and ACT anyway and work hard at it, because taking it later is way, way harder!

[kiwik]

I would say - do high school as if you intend to go to college then do something else if you like.

[Kiara.I]

Well, his job prospects in a trade are a good deal higher than they are with a bachelor's degree.

If he doesn't have something in mind that he wants to do with a degree, I'm not sure I can argue the wisdom of spending $20,000+ on a "maybe this might be interesting to study...I guess...."

 

Let him get a trade and earn money.  He will figure out when and if he needs/wants a degree instead.