Why Are Students Choosing Trade Programs Instead of College?

Student Abbey Carlson works during welding class at Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville, April 13, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Almost every category of higher education in the U.S. has declining enrollments. But trade programs – short certificates that offer real-world skills like auto repair and industrial automation – are a hit. The Hechinger Report’s Olivia Sanchez looks at one program in Tennessee to discover why: students love the flexibility, practicality and high wages.

Read her story published by The Associated Press. (April 2023)