1. Student loans suck.
Forty-five million Americans are still paying off student loans. Don’t add your name to that list. (See The Student Loan Debt Epidemic)

2. You’ll save (lots of) money.
Training for technical professions requires less time and money. There are scholarships available and some companies will pay you to train. (See Scholarship Alerts from Industry Pros)

3. You can make good money.
Many technical professions pay as much, if not more than, many jobs that require a four-year degree. (What Technical Professions Pay the Most)

4. You can start training in high school.
Many Arkansas schools and local companies have programs you can start now. That way, when you graduate, you can get straight to work. (QUIZ: Which Technical Profession is Right for You?)

5. You train while on the job.
Get hired — better yet PAID – while you gain experience in your trade. (See The New Path to Success: 17 Hot Jobs in Skilled Trades)

6. There are SO many jobs.
Arkansas employers are desperate for skilled tradespeople to fill openings they have across the state in many industries. (See Booming Technical Industries in Arkansas: Where to Train, Where to Work)

HEAD OF YOUR CLASS

Did you know your Career Technical Education (CTE) classes now carry the same weight as regular high school credits in Arkansas?

That means those courses count toward your GPA, so you can earn a 5.0 in your CTE classes. Even if you’re not aiming for four-year college, you can still excel in your training and become your high school’s valedictorian.

The takeaway from this change? Arkansas leaders are extremely committed to showing students the incredible opportunities that await in the technical professions.