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they’d be willing to offer some form
of informational interview so that you
can learn more about what jobs they
may have to offer. While this step can
seem nerve-racking to take as a high
school student, know that trades
employers understand the importance
of recruiting young workers who have
interest in their industries. You may get
a warmer reception than you think if
you get in touch about the possibility
of a post-graduation job opportunity.
For students thinking about attending
trade schools or vocational colleges,
there are often grants or scholar-
ships available to help pay for these
post-secondary training or education
paths. Home builders associations, for
example, often maintain scholarship
funds aimed at helping young aspiring
trades professionals pay for post-sec-
ondary construction trades training.
There may be other scholarships in
your town, region, or state that are
geared specifically toward students
pursuing trade school, whether
sponsored by individuals, businesses,
nonprofits, or other entities. The best
way to find these scholarship opportu-
nities is often just to do a few Google
searches, though your guidance
counselor or a college planning expert
in your town might also have some
knowledge of trades-focused scholar-
ships that they can share.