It’s no secret that a teenager’s senior year (and even junior year, as application preparation and career planning seem to start earlier and earlier) largely centers around one defining question: What comes after high school?
For many families, a four-year university or community college continue to be the right choice for their future.
However, more and more young adults are pursuing options outside of traditional collegiate schooling, and finding successful and rewarding careers in doing so. From skilled trades like electrical, plumbing, carpentry or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) to careers in emergency medicine or nursing and healthcare, there are many paths to enter the workforce quickly and with valuable skills (and without the burden of staggering student debt).
In Virginia, there are a plethora of apprenticeships and training programs in which both teens and adults can participate to kickstart their careers in high-demand sectors. Whether for recent or soon-to-be high school graduates or adults looking to begin or change their careers, these opportunities are well worth exploring.
Skilled Trades: Learning While Earning
For those who love working with their hands, problem-solving and seeing the immediate results of their labor each day, skilled trades offer a strong career choice and are in high demand.
Southern Air, a contracting company serving the Mid-Atlantic region, has offered Registered Apprenticeship programs since 1961. They currently offer apprenticeships in HVAC, plumbing and electrical, with 100 to 150 active apprentices participating at any given time.
Registered Apprenticeship is an earn while you learn model, so program participants get both technical classroom instruction and paid, hands-on training.
Southern Air Personnel Development Manager Sherie Fulcher explained, “Our apprentices are paid on a progressive wage scale, meaning their earnings increase as their knowledge, skills and competencies grow. They are evaluated twice each year and receive wage increases based on successful progress both on the job and in the classroom.”
These four-year-long Registered Apprenticeship programs require a total of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, which, when combined with the more than 576 hours of classroom instruction, result in a nationally-recognized Journeyworker credential that is respected throughout the industry.
Fulcher added, “For occupations such as HVAC technician, plumber, electrician and gas fitter, completing a Registered Apprenticeship also provides a direct pathway to licensure through Virginia’s Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Graduates of these programs do not have to take the DPOR licensing examination because the extensive training and competency requirements of Registered Apprenticeship satisfy the state’s licensing requirements.”
With a shortage of qualified tradespeople and an aging workforce, skilled trades are among the most in-demand careers today, ensuring high-wage employment with long-term security for those with qualified trade skills.
“More people are recognizing that the skilled trades provide rewarding, well-paying careers with tremendous opportunities for advancement,” said Fulcher. “Employers like Southern Air are investing in Registered Apprenticeship to develop the next generation of highly-skilled professionals and help rebuild the workforce our industry depends on.”
To participate in a Registered Apprenticeship program with Souther Air, individuals must either be hired by the company or be a high school student enrolled in a career and technical education (CTE) program.
Families interested in additional skilled trades apprenticeship opportunities can also look at programs offered through organizations like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26, which offers electrical apprenticeships, and the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Virginia, which partners with employers across multiple construction trades.
Emergency Medicine: A Fast Track to Helping Others
Many people seek out fulfilling careers helping others. For those drawn to service and who work well in high-pressure situations, becoming an emergency medical technician (EMT) offers a clear path forward, and quality training doesn’t have to be costly or lengthy.
Rocky Mountain Resuscitation LLC’s EMT certification program is a Virginia Office of EMT-approved training that prepares students for both the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) examination and employment in emergency medical services (EMS).
The certification program includes more than 135 hours of instruction that combines classroom lectures, hands-on skills training, simulation, hospital clinical rotations and ambulance field experiences.
Students learn essential skills like patient assessment, CPR, airway management, trauma care, medical emergencies and emergency childbirth patient assessment while under the supervision of experienced EMS professionals.
Lance Lopez, the owner and program director of Rocky Mountain Resuscitation, shared, “Our goal is to produce confident, compassionate and highly competent EMTs who are prepared to serve their communities from day one. Students benefit from small class sizes, experienced instructors who have served in military, fire, EMS and hospital settings and extensive hands-on training that emphasizes real-world patient care rather than simply passing an exam. We also work closely with local hospitals and EMS agencies to provide meaningful clinical experiences and networking opportunities.”
Graduates of the EMT certification course have many career paths available to them. These include working for in-demand jobs in municipal fire and rescue departments, private ambulance services, hospitals, industrial safety programs, event medicine teams and law enforcement agencies, or continuing their education toward becoming an advanced EMT, paramedic, registered nurse, physician assistant or physician. Many students also use the EMT certification to qualify for work in fire departments.
For those considering a career as an EMT, Lopez shared, “Prospective students should understand that being an EMT is much more than responding to emergencies. It requires compassion, professionalism, critical thinking, teamwork and the ability to remain calm under pressure. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.”
Rocky Mountain Resuscitation offers EMT courses four times each year and is in the process of launching additional programs for advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT) and paramedic training. Their next EMT course begins in October and is open to applicants 16 years and older who either possess a high school diploma or GED, or who are currently enrolled in an approved high school program.
“For many people, EMS is not simply a job; it’s a rewarding career built on service to others,” said Lopez. “Whether someone plans to remain an EMT or use it as a stepping stone into another healthcare profession, the knowledge, leadership and patient care skills developed through EMT training provide an excellent foundation for future success.”
Healthcare Careers That You Can Start Sooner Than You Think
Healthcare offers another fulfilling field based on serving and helping others, and certified nurse aide (CNA) and registered medication aide (RMA) positions, in particular, are in high demand in Virginia and across the nation.
To meet that demand and make healthcare training accessible and affordable to all, registered nurse and educator Dr. Zoila Ortega founded Career Nursing Academy, which offers CNA and RMA courses that are approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing. They also have a personal care aide (PCA) course and caregiver training, which is a workshop that provides basic training to caregivers who have often been thrust into the position when a loved one becomes ill or injured.
“I realized that there were so many people who would be great CNAs, but for one reason or another had challenges that made it difficult for them,” Dr. Ortega said.
That’s why Career Nursing Academy’s doors are open to anyone who wants to pursue a career in health, whether they’re a pre-med student who wants to stand out in their university application, someone struggling financially looking to gain economic stability, a non-English speaker who needs a bilingual program or someone who left school at a young age and wants to start a career.
Career Nursing Academy’s courses qualify students for a vast number of jobs. For example, the six-week CNA program prepares students for employment in hospitals, nursing homes, home healthcare, clinics and schools through a combination of classroom instruction and extensive hands-on clinical experience.
“Usually by the fourth week of a six-week course, our students are offered jobs,” Dr. Ortega said. “Individuals, home care agencies, nursing homes and hospitals are knocking on the door asking to recruit and interview our students for jobs.”
There are no prerequisites, including no educational requirements, to begin a course, and previous courses have had students ranging in ages from 16 to 84. Career Nursing Academy also partners with various organizations that sponsor course applicants who meet financial need requirements. In addition to regular course enrollment, the academy accepts one intern per course, who receives free training as part of their work study.
“Nursing is a great career. It has changed lives,” said Dr. Ortega.
Those looking for additional healthcare training opportunities can also explore options like the Wellness Nursing Institute, which offers state-approved CNA and certified medical assistant (CMA) courses.
Whether interested in trade skills, emergency medicine or nursing, one thing is clear: Today’s workforce has many fulfilling, in-demand, well-paying jobs that don’t require traditional collegiate pathways, and there are plenty of training and apprenticeship opportunities in Virginia to help get students started.
