Triton’s First Annual Vocational Career fair will be taking place in the library on April 23rd at 11 A.M.  for those who would rather get a good paying job right out of high school instead of going to college.

The Vocational Career Fair will be filled with trade jobs and will be designated to open students’ eyes to a world of opportunity that don’t require a college diploma. Jobs such as construction, electrician, plumbing and many more will be presenting on how the trades are an alternative option than college. Along with employers, such as Arthur S. Page Insurance and Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, the Vocational Career Fair will offer pre training schools, such as Essex Tech, Whittier, Lincoln Tech, and Northern Essex Community College. These schools will help students prepare for the vocation they want to go in to; they also help give you selective experience in that field.

One of the faculty members, Teresa Karol, helped shed some light on the first annual Vocational Career Fair at Triton.

“This fair is mainly for kids who aren’t comfortable going to college in the future and they want to go into a vocational trade” said Karol. “It helps broaden these students horizon and show how these jobs will work, how much they will pay, benefits, hours, licensing requirements, and growth within the company”.

College debt is a hassle to pay back for most students that apply.

“I applied for more than 20 scholarships so I can hopefully get a lot of help for payments while in college, so I do not drown in debt.”Jeremy Duford, a Triton senior wrestler graduating in just a couple months says

Some benefits of not going to college and going into the trades are not having the burden of paying for student loans after college. Students can also get a well paying job right out of high school being able to make more than $45 dollars per hour without a college diploma.

But not going to college has some downsides, imagine if you don’t like the trade you went into it’d be hard to just hop into college after a long break of school. If you acquire a college diploma you have a much greater chance of getting a higher paying job in any field you choose. College will pay off over time after the promotions and after you’re relieved of all your college debt. You will have a world of opportunity if college is the path you take, more than if you go into a trade right out of high school.

“ I am most likely going to an in-state college so my debt is very minimal. On top of in-state tuition and the scholarships that I am going to apply to, I hope my debt is as small as it can possibly be. Cause, let’s be real, I am not going to get a full ride,” says Triton junior Sophia Agrella

Agrella is taking every opportunity she can get to be debt free in years to come. It is an opportunity that most high school students take making scholarships a very competitive field between students that are going for the limited ones that can be handed out. The college experience can be something to look forward to in your future and look forward too but also the excessive amount of work and the “do it yourself” learning style that college requires is immense and may put a lot of stress on a person.

The Vocational Career Fair shows to those who don’t want to take the opportunity to go to college and want to see their options for the future. The opportunity can be  beneficial to students future, so take the time to go visit the Vocation Career Fair down in the Triton library on April 23rd to expand your horizon for the upcoming future.