One of 14 paths
Learning a hands-on trade, often while getting paid to train.
Many people learn a trade through a registered apprenticeship, a paid job from the first day.
It fits if you like hands-on, physical work and want a clear path in.
Watch for: getting in can be competitive, and a technical school may charge tuition.
Each scale shows its level and the reason, and "our read" marks a judgment call.
Level: Paid a wage, 3 of 5 on the getting-paid side
A registered apprenticeship pays you from the first day, while a trade school may charge tuition.
Dollar signs to the left of the middle mean you're paid while you do it, and dollar signs to the right mean you pay. More of them means more money either way. The mark in the middle means free.
Level: About four years, 4 of 5
Many apprenticeships take four or five years, and trade school can be shorter.
Level: Lower to Above the middle, 1 to 4 of 5
Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC jobs usually pay above the middle, while barber and cosmetology jobs usually pay less.
This varies a lot with the specific job, the place, and experience.
Middle means the middle pay across all jobs.
Level: Competitive, 4 of 5
You can apply with a diploma, but entry can be competitive, so ask each program.
Level: Some of it carries over, 3 of 5
Your credential and skills carry into related work, and apprenticeships often earn college credit.
Level: Some new, 2 of 5
New work and new coworkers, but you can stay near home.
In a registered apprenticeship, you work a paid job and take classes. In the trades, the work is hands-on and physical. The classes cover the technical side of the trade, and each program decides whether that class time is paid. Some people start at a technical school first.
It's open to anyone with a diploma. To be a registered apprentice, you have to be at least 16, and a program can set a higher age or other entry rules. Getting in can be competitive. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says most electricians and plumbers learn the trade in a four- or five-year apprenticeship. In a registered apprenticeship, you're paid from the first day, and your pay goes up on a set schedule as you go. Technical schools may charge tuition, so ask what a program costs before you enroll.
In electrical and plumbing work, you'd usually still be an apprentice a year in. Finish the four- or five-year apprenticeship and, once licensed, you may be qualified to work on your own. Barber and cosmetology work typically pays less than electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says. Registered apprenticeships also run in IT, early childhood education, and banking, for jobs like data analyst, early childhood educator, and bank teller.
If you leave a registered apprenticeship, you've been paid for your on-the-job work. The Labor Department says a registered apprenticeship ends in a portable, nationally recognized credential. It also says registered apprenticeships often provide college credit, so ask about yours. A state license comes from one state, and rules vary, so check before you move.
Pick one to try this month. Trying a thing isn't choosing it.
Put these to a program, or to someone already in the trade.
After Columbia Pictures ended his seven-year deal early, Harrison Ford became a carpenter to supplement his income, with no formal training. He has said he struggled for about 15 years, moving between acting jobs and carpentry.
A story like this can't tell you what's likely for you.
Pay depends on the trade and the place, and rules vary by program, so check them at the source.
These three paths are worth weighing next to this one, and their pages use the same scales.
It fits if you want training and support, and do well with structure and help finding work.
It fits if you're drawn to hands-on, licensed work that moves people or goods.
It fits if you want one in-demand skill fast and can stay disciplined without a campus.