If your son or daughter wants to go into a trade, the most helpful thing you can do is take it seriously and help them test it: a career and technical education class, job shadows, a summer helper job or a pre-apprenticeship. Then map the real path, through trade school or an apprenticeship, and plan senior year around getting in.
Start by taking it seriously
Skilled trades are real careers, with formal training, licensing in many fields and paths into supervision or owning a business. Ask what draws your teen: working with their hands, earning while learning, avoiding debt or a specific trade they have seen up close. Listen before offering opinions. If you have worries, such as physical strain, job stability or pay, write them down and look for answers together rather than using them as reasons to say no. Our guide on how to choose a trade helps them compare options.
Explore trades before committing
- Take career and technical education classes at school if they are offered.
- Arrange job shadows with an electrician, plumber, HVAC technician, welder or carpenter.
- Find summer or part-time work as a helper on a crew.
- Look at pre-apprenticeship programs, which prepare students to apply.
- Visit open houses at trade schools and community colleges.
- Ask working tradespeople about the hours, the physical demands and what they wish they had known.
What an apprenticeship path looks like
- Your teen applies to an apprenticeship run by a union, an employer group or a single employer. Requirements vary; some ask for a diploma or equivalent, a driver’s license and a math or aptitude assessment.
- Apprentices work for pay under an experienced tradesperson while taking classroom instruction.
- Pay typically rises as skills and hours build.
- After several years, apprentices complete the program and, in many trades, take a licensing exam.
- From there, paths lead to more advanced licenses, supervision or running a business.
Trade school works differently: classroom training first, then a job search. See how to get an apprenticeship, trade school vs college and starting trade school.
Talking to relatives who expected college
- Share the plan, not just the decision: the trade, the training path and the timeline.
- Explain the earn-while-you-learn model and the licensing steps.
- Note that college stays an option later; many people add courses or a degree down the road.
- Let your teen answer some questions directly. It builds their confidence and shows commitment.
- Set a kind boundary if the debate keeps coming back at every gathering.
Remember that relatives often worry because they care and because they know less about modern trade training than you now do. A short, confident explanation usually works better than a long defense. Our guide to building a career without a degree can help frame the conversation.
A senior year plan
- Fall: research programs and deadlines, and take math and shop classes that help.
- All year: keep attendance and grades steady. Reliability matters to employers and programs.
- Winter: get a driver’s license if needed and submit applications.
- Spring: prepare for interviews and any aptitude assessments.
- Summer: a helper job and practice with early wake times.
Many trades start early in the morning and involve physical work outdoors or in tight spaces. A summer of early starts is a good test of fit, and it builds the reliability employers look for. Basic tools, work boots and reliable transportation are worth planning and budgeting for as well.
Our senior year plan covers the rest of the year.
How a mentor helps senior year
A mentor helps your teen research programs, set up shadows, keep applications on schedule, practice interviews and build the early-morning routine the work requires. A parent or guardian joins the intro call, agrees the goals and gets regular progress updates. Mentors do not place students in programs. See mentoring for high school students.
Related
- Mentoring for high school students
- How to choose a trade
- Tips for the first year of an apprenticeship
- Building a career without a degree
- Running Family Meetings With Young Adult Children
- Returning to Work After Parental Leave: A First Month Plan
Common questions
Is trade school a good option for my teen?
For many students it is a strong path, especially if they like hands-on work and want to earn sooner. Exploring first helps confirm the fit.
Can my teen start an apprenticeship right after high school?
Many programs accept recent graduates, though requirements and minimum ages vary. Check each program’s rules early in senior year.
Should my teen still apply to college as a backup?
Some families do, especially if the teen is unsure. Others commit to the trade path and keep college as a later option.
Does Blackburn place students in apprenticeships?
No. A mentor helps your teen plan, apply and follow through. Programs make their own admission decisions.
Get started
Want help supporting your teen through a trade path in senior year? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.