Have you decided that it’s time for a career change?
If you’re someone who is looking for a steady income without having to spend four years to earn your degree or pay down huge amounts of debt for years to come, you should definitely think about middle skill jobs.
What Are Middle Skill Jobs?
Middle skill jobs get their name because they’re generally occupied by people who have a high school diploma and some type of postsecondary education but not a four-year college degree.
These workers may have resumes that feature one or more of the following:
- Associate’s Degrees
- On-the-Job Training
- Vocational Certificates
This makes them eligible for jobs that those with only high school diplomas couldn’t realistically land.
The Main 6 Benefits of Middle Skill Jobs
Some programs that IntelliTec College offers include:
- Computer System Technicians
- Cosmetologists
- Dental Assistants
- Massage Therapists
- Nursing Assistants
- Refrigeration and HVAC Technicians
Aside from the number of different career paths you can choose from, there are also six other reasons to consider middle skill jobs.
1. Affordability
Trade schools tend to come with far less overhead. They don’t have to cover the costs of dorms, cafeteria food, and countless other expenditures traditionally tied to four-year schools.
This is why it’s so much more affordable to go to trade schools and pursue middle skill jobs.
On average, trade school costs about $33,000. Obviously, the price will depend on where you live and the program you’re entering.
Compare that to the average cost for a bachelor’s degree, which is $127,000.
That’s already a huge discrepancy, but it would also be much larger if both students decide to take out loans at 4% interest. If they both pay them off within 10 years – the trade school student will pay far less a month – trade school will cost $40,000 while a bachelor’s degree will cost $154,000. That’s a $114,000 difference!
2. Graduating Quicker
Even the above figures don’t tell the whole story, though.
You also need to factor in the opportunity cost of waiting at least two extra years before you can actually enter the workforce. Keep in mind, too, that approximately 40% of enrollees don’t even finish four-year colleges.
If you go to a trade school because you want to pursue middle skill jobs, you’ll be out and ready to work much sooner. At IntelliTec College, Programs are designed to be completed quickly. For example, the Medical Assistant program can be completed in as few as 10 ½ months!
That’s at least two years you can begin earning a paycheck, paying off your loan, padding your savings, making investments, and much more.
3. On-the-Job Training
Another great thing about going to IntelliTec College is that a major part of the curriculum is hands-on training. It’s treated with just as much importance as the work you do in the classroom.
Therefore, long before you actually begin applying for middle skill jobs, you’ll have the direct knowledge required to do the work you’ll be given. You can put right on your resume that you are experienced carrying out most – if not all – of the tasks a potential employer will require.
That’s a major advantage, but there’s another one that comes from on-the-job training, one that most people never consider.
This kind of education will also let you know early on if you’re pursuing a career you’ll truly enjoy. For example, after a month of feeling what it’s like to actually be a mechanic, you might decide working on cars is something you prefer to do as a hobby.
Better to drop out early and start on another path than find out after you’ve graduated that you made the wrong choice.
4. High-Demand
While no one can guarantee that you’ll find employment after you graduate, many trade jobs remain in high demand. That trend doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon, either.
This makes sense, of course. People need nursing assistants. People need professionals to work on their vehicles. In short, trade jobs are those that must be filled by people who work with their hands to either take care of others or build and repair things.
There are some exceptions. For example, doctors take care of others but would not be considered tradesmen.
As long as people need these kinds of hands-on services, there will always be trade jobs.
5. Protection from Outsourcing
These jobs are also all but impossible to outsource overseas.
If your car is making a funny noise, you can’t ship it to another country to have someone look at it. If you’re suffering from muscle stiffness, you can’t hire someone in another country to provide you with massage therapy so you’re able to function without pain again.
While there are all kinds of professions that can’t be outsourced, the majority of them are middle skill jobs. There’s little reason to think that will change in the future.
6. Protection from Automation
Automation continues to be a driving force in the economy.
Unfortunately, this technology is driving many people out of work. More and more, people are losing jobs to machines and software that can do their work as well, if not better, and at far less cost. Automated solutions don’t need vacations and they never take sick days.
A few years ago, NPR caused quite a stir when they tried predicting which jobs would be taken over by machines. Most of those that suffered from the highest risk were ones that required a four-year degrees or only a high school education. By comparison, middle jobs were underrepresented.
One of the biggest safeguards against encroachment by automation was the degree to which the job required that you personally help others. According to NPR, that virtually guaranteed that machines would be unable to take over.
Interested in Working Middle Skill Jobs?
If you’re sold on the idea of working a middle skill job or you’d like a little more information before making a decision about your career path, contact us today.