Trade Schools in Connecticut

Trade schools extend across industries, including beauty, construction, medicine, and mechanical fields. Trade schools in Connecticut offer the opportunity to start a career in only a year or less.

These vocational training programs combine classroom learning with practical experience to build specialized skills, allowing you to start a career faster and with lower overall education costs.

Some students choose trade schools as a starting point to gain experience in a field while pursuing advanced degrees. Others enter a trade with the goal of building experience to take on leadership roles or open their own business. Explore popular trade programs and career opportunities below.

There are 17 accredited trade and vocational schools in Connecticut. Their programs include cosmetology, medical assisting, and aircraft powerplant technician training programs. Program length and cost vary by trade and specialization, from simple five-credit programs to two-year certifications.

For example, you can complete the aircraft powerplant technology program in 2,340 hours, which takes an average of 18 months. A 1,000-hour barbering program takes an average of 10 months, while a cosmetology program that requires 1,500 hours takes around 13 months to complete.

Accreditation signifies to students and future employers that a school offers the skill sets and information necessary to start working in the specified trade. Trade and vocational schools may hold institutional and/or programmatic accreditation.

Trade schools in Connecticut are accredited by the following agencies:

Attending an accredited school also allows you to qualify for federal financial aid and, for certain occupations, qualify for state licensing after program completion.

Trade school students can qualify for financial aid by filling out the FAFSA, and they can apply for private scholarships. Fortunately, many trade school scholarships are available in Connecticut, including community and city or region-specific scholarships.

Here are a few major Connecticut foundations that provide scholarships:

In addition to trade schools, you can learn some trades through community college study. If you’re still in high school, you can also consider attending a technical high school, which typically offers trade-specific training or certification in addition to general high school education requirements.

You could also learn a trade through an apprenticeship or on-the-job training. For example, you can start most construction careers with on-the-job training. This includes jobs such as structural iron and steel worker, roofer, painter, construction equipment operator, or electrical powerline installer.

You could also become an electrician or plumber without a formal certification, instead opening the door to the trade through an apprenticeship.

Many trades in Connecticut are projected to grow more rapidly than the national average, from 6% to nearly 25% over the next decade. As you develop your skills, fast-growing trades can offer more career opportunities. You could also start your career or gain trade skills while pursuing further education to advance your career.

Some of the fastest-growing trades in Connecticut include beauty-related careers, such as cosmetologists and hairdressers, which the Connecticut Department of Labor projects will grow almost 16% over the next decade. Other popular trades in Connecticut include mechanical fields, such as aircraft mechanic and automobile mechanic, and medical professions such as medical assisting, dental assisting, and medical sonography.

As a hairstylist, cosmetologist, or barber, your primary responsibilities will include haircutting, styling, and other beauty-related services. You’ll have the chance to work with clients to create a personalized look that matches their style and builds their confidence.

Shampooing, coloring, and lightening hair; treating hair texture; and styling hair are common procedures offered by stylists. Other job responsibilities may include inspecting and analyzing the hair and scalp to recommend services. You may also clean and style wigs and hairpieces.

In Connecticut, you must attend cosmetology school, which requires a minimum of 1,500 hours of training, and apply for state licensure.

Aircraft mechanics and service technicians work with airplanes to diagnose mechanical or electrical problems and repair wings, brakes, electrical systems, or other aircraft components. You’ll be required to keep detailed records of maintenance and repair work.

You’ll also need to be comfortable reading and interpreting manufacturers’ instructions, examining replacement parts for defects, and testing parts with various instruments to ensure the aircraft meets performance standards.

To become an aircraft mechanic or service technician, you must complete an aviation maintenance technician program approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pass the certification exam. Standard programs in Connecticut take two years to complete and include classroom training and hands-on experience.

Medical assistants may focus on clinical or administrative tasks, although some do both. Everyday responsibilities include taking and recording patients’ medical history, performing tests, administering injections, collecting blood samples or other specimens, and instructing patients about medications.

You may be asked to help physicians with patient exams, dispose of contaminated supplies, sterilize medical instruments, and take inventory of equipment.

To become a medical assistant in Connecticut, you’ll need to complete a medical assistant program, which can take as little as six weeks but usually takes six months to a year. Then, you’ll need to pass the certified medical assistant (CMA) exam administered by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA).

You can also become a certified clinical medical assistant (CCMA) through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) to work in specialized fields, such as pediatrics or geriatrics.

Dental assistants work closely with patients and dentists, performing tasks such as taking a patient’s medical history, blood pressure, and pulse before a procedure and scheduling appointments.

You may be asked to explain a procedure to a patient or educate patients on oral care. During procedures, you may pass instruments or hold equipment like suction hoses, matrix bands, and dental curing lights.

Dental assistant programs typically take less than a year to complete and include clinical experience. While you don’t need licensure or certification in Connecticut, you could earn national certification. To become a certified dental assistant (CDA), you must complete a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Assisting (CODA) or have at least 3,500 hours of dental assisting experience.

Automotive service technicians and mechanics work to inspect, maintain, and repair cars and light trucks. In addition to routine maintenance, you’ll use computerized diagnostic equipment to test parts and perform repairs to manufacturer and customer specifications.

You can also be trained to work with specialized systems, such as integrated electronic systems, electric vehicles, or alternative-fuel vehicles, such as ethanol-powered vehicles.

In Connecticut, you can get on-the-job training or attend an auto mechanic training program. Service technician training programs commonly take 12 months to complete.