It’s a big day for our local high school seniors as they get ready to map out the next four years of their lives with Decision Day upon us once again.
However, universities on this year’s Decision Day, the annual deadline for seniors to make their final choice on where they will go to college, are seeing less action than in years prior.
A new study has found that many high school seniors are opting out of what has become pricey four-year schools and are instead looking to gain their education through trade schools.
According to the National Student Clearinghouse, construction trades enrollment grew 19.3% across the nation in 2022, and the trend is expected to continue this year.
Dunwoody College’s Cindy Olson says their college is experiencing the impact of the trend, highlighting that their trade programs have been seeing an increase in growth.
“We are experiencing our most significant growth in the areas of electrical, construction, and maintenance,” Olson said.
Now, the school is looking to create new opportunities for its trade students, including through new partnerships like one with Mortenson Construction.
“In this partnership, we’re taking students and moving them into more Mortenson’s for opportunities for lifelong career growth within the construction field,” she said.
The state is also looking to help grow the trades, where demand for workers has grown exponentially in the last half-decade.
Minnesota’s Department of Employment & Economic Development is offering training grants of up to $400,000 to help create similar partnerships.
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