Colorado Trade Schools

The great, outdoorsy state of Colorado is home to many viable educational choices that are sure to positively contribute to your future. While you are working on completing the degree program of your choosing you can also enjoy outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, skiing, climbing, and kayaking, just to name a few. As confirmation that you are making the right decision by furthering your level of education, Colorado leads the nation in the number of jobs that will require individuals to hold a post secondary degree. This means that over 71 % of the available employment opportunities will require you to have completed some level of post secondary degree program. Start your career training in Colorado today!

On the contrary, Colorado only has about 8-10 % of available jobs that will be appropriate for individuals who have not finished their high school diploma requirements. With that in mind, let's start looking at some of the more popular options for earning that degree that you have your sights set on. The first college to make the list is Colorado State University, which is located in Fort Collins. This public university currently boasts over 30,000 students who are working to complete both undergraduate and graduate level degree programs.

With a great student to faculty ratio and phenomenal Honors programs, this learning institution is definitely worth checking out! Another great university worth mentioning is University of Denver (DU). This post secondary school is classified as a private university that is home to about 12,000 students. University of Denver offers students undergraduate and graduate level degree programs with a twelve to one student/faculty ratio. At this learning institution you can expect to find strong programs in the areas of business, pre-professional programs, sciences, and the liberal arts. A well known private Catholic university that you may want to check out is Regis University, which is located in Denver.

Although Regis University is recognized for its strong institutional focus on community service, the nursing and business degree programs that they offer also earn them some recognition. It is important to note that while the enrollment at this university is not as large as some of the other educational options, this school does offer undergraduate as well as graduate level degree programs. In fact, approximately half of the enrolled students are working on completing their undergraduate degree while the other half is pursuing a graduate level degree program.

Johnson and Wales University Denver just may be the perfect school for individuals who are looking for a smaller setting with which to complete their undergraduate degree. This post secondary school currently has about 1,500 students enrolled at an undergraduate level. In fact, this university is classified as a specialized career centered university. Should you decide to attend this facility you can expect to begin taking classes that are directly related to your major within the first year! In addition, this school encourages learning through hands on procedures and experiences that are pertinent to real life situations.

Some of the more popular schools that are a part of this university are related to culinary arts, business, and the hospitality industry. Or perhaps engineering is your future career choice. If this is the case for you, then you will definitely want to consider applying to the Colorado School of Mines, which is located in Golden. This school is considered to be a public learning environment with a low student to faculty ratio. Known for their strong coursework regarding the earth's resources, graduates from this institution are reported to have some of the country's highest starting salaries for this field.

Colorado College, which is located in Colorado Springs, is a fairly small educational facility that you should consider. This private liberal arts college is unique because of its one class at a time schedule that operates under three and a half week semesters. Although this learning institution offers degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, the majority of students who attend this school are pursuing an undergraduate degree program. Another notable option would particularly appeal to individuals who are interested in a military based education. Air Force Academy (USAFA), which is located in Colorado Springs, only offers undergraduate level degree programs for potential students. Although this learning institution is considered to be a free form of higher education, individuals are required to agree to a five year service agreement following graduation. It is important to note that admission to this facility is highly selective; in fact, you will need to be nominated by a member of Congress.

 

Highest Paid Occupations in Colorado

Unlike most states one of Colorado’s main focuses in terms of occupations is in Education. Colorado is always listed as one of the top states when it comes to education and the amount of money they place per capita to train their own. Office support employs 363,000 individuals in the state followed by Sales and then food preparation. Business and financial operations employ 166,000 with a high annual median salary of $75,640. The highest paid salaries are those in the medical field including surgeons and physicians that make between $233,000 and $250,000. Airline pilots make $180,000 on average and that is mainly due to Denver International Airport. A growing segment is of course in computer technology which has over 20,000 positions open in the state.

 

Colleges in Colorado

The state is home to 2 of the largest universities which is the University of Colorado and Colorado State University. The state also has the University of Northern Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado Colleges, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado Christian University, Naropa University as well as lots of other vocational and trade schools that people can choose from.

 

Top Industries in Colorado

One of the reasons why so many people decide to go to school and end up working in Colorado is the low cost of living and high salary averages across all of its different industries. With a median household income of $59,448 it is not only affordable to live in the state but also for those who wish to open up their own business it is considered a “corporate friendly” state.

Manufacturing
Colorado employs over 120,000 employees that work in 6000 manufacturing companies. These companies are a driving force for the Colorado economy and produces products such as automotive parts, aerospace vehicles and medical devices.

Aerospace
It is not a surprise that Colorado ranks 2nd in the nation when it comes to aerospace development and employment. With large Air Force and Army bases it attracts a large number of qualified workers to the state. Companies such as Northrop Grumman and Boeing employ highly trained employees that graduate from the state colleges.

Renewable Energy
The state was first to adopt a plan where 30% of the energy will come from renewable energy. This energy conservation push has led colleges to develop Associate’s through Master’s degrees that focus on renewable energy. If you don’t want to get a degree many of the vocational schools offer certificate based programs that will help you get your foot in the door at many of these companies in this sector.

Healthcare
Like with most states the healthcare industry is big in Colorado with more than ¼ of a million employees in the state. Take the first step if you are just entering college or earning a certificate from a trade school and look into all of the different medical and health related careers the state has to offer.

Education Population in Colorado

Besides the beauty of the state, Colorado also has some of the highest and most educated population of all of the states. Colorado is 8% higher than the national average in terms of working individuals that possess at least a 2 year degree. Over 22% of the state has some college and over 13% have a graduate or more advanced degree. In terms of race 58% of all the whites in the state earned a degree followed by 57% of all Asians and 34% of all blacks. The counties that have the most percentage of their population with a degree helps that county employ the most at the highest salaries. Boulder count tops the entire state with over 65% of the county with at least an Associate’s degree. This is mainly due to the high cost of living in Boulder but also the city is home to the University of Colorado. Broomfield which is a suburb of Denver is a close second mainly because the city has really built a great IT infrastructure and brought in some of the biggest name in the IT industry. These jobs are high paying averaging over $80,000. Larimer County is also high as the home to Colorado State University which is the largest college in the state. The lowest county is Bent, followed by Crowley, Moffat, Lincoln then Jackson. Denver has invested millions over the past few years to not only build business parks but also bring in large companies to set-up shop in the state. The high percentage of the population with advanced degrees is a major reason why companies are moving into the state to take advantage of these talented individuals.

 

Colorado Trade School Programs

One of the great things about going to school and living in Colorado is the vast amount of career opportunities that they state has. The state has more trade schools per capita than almost any other state. If you are just graduating high school or looking for a new career then we can’t recommend enough looking into all the different trade schools that state has to offer. These vocational schools offer certificate programs where you can get trained and employed in a short period of time. Below are some of the top trade schools programs you’ll find in Colorado.

 

Automotive
Schools offer training programs in automotive technology, collision repair and even diesel technology for those who wish to work on large trucks and diesel equipment. Colorado has a big trucking and heavy equipment industry that keeps employees at their jobs. If you love working on cars then start your training today from any of the schools located in Denver, Colorado Springs or Fort Collins.

HVAC/R
Get your training started and enter the HVAC or even electrical field. We do see more companies needing qualified HVAC technicians as well as those who wish to work in the renewable energy field. Schools offer courses in wind and solar energy as well as sustainability. Denver and Colorado Springs have the most trade schools that offer these and other training programs. Be sure to check with the State of Colorado in order to determine what licensing if any are needed before you decide on a school to attend.

Graphic Design
Do you enjoy digital design, making websites and logo’s and even creating advertisements for companies? Several trade schools in Denver and Fort Collins offer both web site design as well as graphic design and arts programs. They offer both degree granting as well as certificate based programs. One of the main advantages that we see for this field is the flexibility that you have and the ability to work for almost any company that has a marketing department. Also the career is very mobile which will allow you to take your talents to other companies around the globe, many which will allow you to even work from home or be a full-time consultant and work for multiple companies at the same time.

Massage Therapy
If you love helping others and would love to operate your own business in Colorado then get trained in massage therapy. Get trained in Aurora or Westminster.

Healthcare and Medical Fields
Schools all over the state train thousands of individuals each year in careers such as: pharmacy technician, medical assisting, dental assistant, health care management, medical billing and coding and more. These certificate based programs are designed specifically to get you working as quickly as possible once you graduate. Find a trade school today in Denver, Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland, Colorado Springs or Pueblo today for all of your training needs.

 

Colorado Training & Career Resources
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_co.htm
http://www.advancecolorado.com/key-industries

http://www.colorado.gov