2008 Woodie Awards
Trade school warning issued
St. Philip's College offers career training.
By Stephanie Mikneus
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News
Originally published: 4/3/08 at 7:15 PM CSTLast update: 4/3/08 at 7:13 PM CST
An air conditioning, heating and refrigeration professor at St. Philip's College warned students during Major Shopping Days at this college against enrolling in trade school.
"It doesn't transfer as an associate degree to a four-year college," Anthony Thomas said.
Attending St. Philip's allows students a lower tuition rate and the ability to earn a license in the chosen field, he said.
St. Philip's offers architectural drafting, electrical trades, air conditioning and refrigeration, home building and plumbing.
Students can complete the programs with an associate degree or a certificate.
For students who want to earn money right away, Thomas said, there are about 200-300 areas of allied construction trade that students can find a job in.
Students can make an average of $20 per hour in the air conditioning business.
"People call us all the time looking for students in the trade, so we place good students," Thomas said.
"Most trades are sales. If you make them money, they'll pay you money." He adds that most companies pay around 18 percent on sales commissions.
When working in a trade career, employees must charge their customers extra to buy the appropriate supplies.
For example, the more air conditioners clients purchase, the more money is made.
Learning an allied construction trade will always save money, even if students decide not to work in that field, Thomas said.
Having knowledge in repairing or installing home utilities will save on the cost of hiring a professional, he said.
"It doesn't transfer as an associate degree to a four-year college," Anthony Thomas said.
Attending St. Philip's allows students a lower tuition rate and the ability to earn a license in the chosen field, he said.
St. Philip's offers architectural drafting, electrical trades, air conditioning and refrigeration, home building and plumbing.
Students can complete the programs with an associate degree or a certificate.
For students who want to earn money right away, Thomas said, there are about 200-300 areas of allied construction trade that students can find a job in.
Students can make an average of $20 per hour in the air conditioning business.
"People call us all the time looking for students in the trade, so we place good students," Thomas said.
"Most trades are sales. If you make them money, they'll pay you money." He adds that most companies pay around 18 percent on sales commissions.
When working in a trade career, employees must charge their customers extra to buy the appropriate supplies.
For example, the more air conditioners clients purchase, the more money is made.
Learning an allied construction trade will always save money, even if students decide not to work in that field, Thomas said.
Having knowledge in repairing or installing home utilities will save on the cost of hiring a professional, he said.
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