How to Open a Trade School

If you follow trends, you know that once-popular trade schools have taken a back seat to colleges over the past few decades. It's not that consumers own fewer air conditioning systems in need of repair or that we're no longer producing our own steel and other materials. The truth is, complex technology has forced our society to put brains ahead of brawn when steering kids toward careers. Happily, that trend is reversing as the realization grows that not every child has a desire or interest in going to college. Given the globe's commitment to reusing and renewing, it's gotten downright fashionable to possess real-world, service-focused skills. As a result, trade schools---many supported by trade unions---are experiencing a renaissance, so if you're interested in training tomorrow's truck drivers, carpenters, electricians and other highly skilled workers, your timing couldn't be better.

Things You'll Need

• Building Instructors Licensing, permits, certifications Website Students

Instructions

1. Learn about trade schools operating in your area. Determine whether there's enough demand for one more school. In particular, check out community colleges with established culinary arts, auto repair and cosmetology programs. Look for voids in competitors' curricula and prepare to use that void to your advantage when you open your doors.

2. Investigate the standards and practices of the skill areas your trade school will teach. Unions can help you with your homework. For instance, union plumbers are required to have in-depth knowledge about more than drain routing and tub installations. They must also understand the science of drainage systems and how urban sanitation systems work. Ask professionals in the trades you plan to incorporate into your program to help you figure out a plan of attack.

3. Have a strategy meeting with your accountant and attorney to determine what will be required to launch your school. Licensing, operating sanctions, occupancy certifications and accreditations may be mandatory. You'll also need equipment and materials plus cash for day-to-day expenses like utilities, payroll, postage, clerical help, maintenance staff, advertising and marketing. There's more. Renovations will be required to transform the building you choose from bare walls to well-equipped workshops, so consult with as many people as necessary to cover all bases before you seek funding.

4. Build capital for your school. Finding revenues to build and support your venture can come from numerous sources. The most obvious places are foundations and nonprofits committed to underwriting educational projects. The least obvious ones are labor unions, but here's why you should consider them: Many unions run their own training programs. Pooling resources can relieve a union of having to operate such programs while their skilled instructors can do the job at your institution. Auxiliary to these potential sources, apply for bank loans, seek out venture capitalists or contact other financial institutions for help.

5. Launch a website. If you are software savvy, programs like Front Page® and Dreamweaver® are popular picks and were created for people with more interest in communicating than becoming web designers. Turn to a graphics design student or hire a designer to do the job if you have no other options, but make certain you work with them to configure the site. Realizing that links, drop-down menus and other enhancements are missing after you launch can be costly, so avoid putting more strain on your budget.

6. Hire faculty. Full-time staff can be a burdensome financial investment. Consider using only adjunct instructors. Adjuncts work full-time at their day jobs and then teach classes as needed. Adjuncts offer great flexibility. You can hire whom you need---when you need them---rather than having to deal with a constant drain of resources due to payroll and benefits.

7. Put into place a monitoring system to keep curricula building, student recruitment and school operations on track. Assess strengths and weaknesses of the classes and the markets they target on a pre-scheduled timetable and make adjustments as necessary. For instance, if the job market for carpenters begins to open up, be fluid enough to expand that program accordingly.

8. Institute a job bank to help students get placement after graduation. Your relationships with local unions, community leaders and businesses offers a wealth of opportunity for everyone. Once you are up and running, consider adding refresher courses to help former students and other professionals keep their skills up-to-date and your student roster filled.

Tips & Warnings

• Recruit a board of directors to help keep your school on the right track. Seek volunteers for the board from the trades you teach to keep your network vibrant. When you write text for your website, embed screens with words surfers will use to find trade schools to increase your chances of getting search engine pickup.

Resources

• The nation's top trade schools
• More advice for your trade school launch
• Directory of trade schools