Williamson College of the Trades in Media has had a resurgence, owing to a shortage of workers and a need for tradesmen, writes Jon Marcus for The Washington Post.
As high school seniors question the value of a four-year college degree, many are attracted to the lower debt and shorter training time to learn a trade.
That’s good news for Williamson College, which is currently training 265 low-income young men in carpentry, masonry, machine tooling, and power-plant technology.
“If you look at where the jobs are, the sweet spot is an associate’s degree with a focus on the trades,” said Michael Rounds, a former Army lieutenant colonel who is Williamson’s president.
Williamson College’s endowment has grown to $128 million. Students who qualify spend three years on campus earning an associate’s degree in a trade, at no cost to themselves.
Labor shortages are being seen in fields like construction, transportation, and logistics.
At a November job fair at the school, 114 employers turned out, more than the number of graduating seniors.
Read more about Williamson College of the Trades in The Washington Post.
