For decades, college has been considered an essential component of an individual’s career path in the tech industry and other professional fields. However, many people believe that college is still an essential component of an individual’s career path, regardless of the rising issue of student debt. Companies such as Tesla, Meta, Dell Technologies, Airbnb, and Netflix have openly stated that an individual does not need a college degree to work for their company. The labor market is shifting towards skills-based hiring.
In order to be successful in the competitive tech industry and other professional fields, an individual must be prepared and have skills that are beyond general knowledge. For example, an individual who wants to become an IT technician, IT analyst, IT manager, or IT sales professional must be trained in the skills that are required by an employer. Today, people are increasingly turning to online education to obtain the skills they need to enter their desired career path.
CourseCareers is an online platform that offers an alternative path for individuals who do not have any type of college degree or any relevant experience in the industry they wish to work in. CourseCareers offers training programs that are intended to help students prepare for an entry-level position in various fields, including technology and skilled trades. The platform focuses on skills and career preparation rather than academic achievements. CourseCareers offers training programs in information technology, digital marketing, user experience design, technology and medical device sales, human resources, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, construction, and many other careers. The training programs are intended to teach an individual the knowledge and skills required for the realities of their chosen career.
Despite the claims of a labor shortage in the trades, it has been difficult for new entrants to the field to find work. In many cases, new entrants have had to submit multiple resumes to plumbing companies, electrical contractors, and HVAC shops, but many have been unsuccessful in their searches for work. There is a shortage of experienced, licensed workers in the trades, but entry-level hiring has become much more selective.
It has become clear that trade companies still hire, but the entry point has changed. Experienced electricians, journeyman plumbers, and senior HVAC technicians are in short supply. Beginners must now be dependable, safety-conscious, and have a basic understanding of trade work to be considered for an apprenticeship or helper position in the trades. The transition to an online application system has meant that trade companies receive many more applicants for each advertised position, causing them to scrutinize potential employees much more closely than in the past. Hiring mistakes can cause costly delays and safety problems, so the hiring process has become much more selective for new entrants to the trades.
CourseCareers helps to overcome these problems with courses that cover the basics of a trade as well as what is expected in the field. For example, the electrician course covers theory, safety, and the knowledge necessary to be an apprentice electrician. Similarly, the HVAC course covers heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration, including basic principles and actual job functions. The course in plumbing covers residential and commercial systems, safety, and codes.
CourseCareers founder Troy Buckholdt’s life experiences have been instrumental in the platform’s creation. He left school at the age of 16 and traveled across America without financial resources over a one-year period. He then went on to educate himself on the necessary requirements to have a career in B2B sales, which gave him an understanding of the disconnect between education and the expectations of employers. In 2019, Buckholdt published The Lean Career, which addressed the financial burdens placed on higher education and the importance of skill-based learning. It was in the same year that Buckholdt founded CourseCareers, which offers training programs that are in line with the requirements of industries and employers in the tech and trades sectors.
The creation of CourseCareers is a manifestation of the trend in education and the workforce in general. There has been a shift in the understanding of skill-based learning as an alternative to a college education, especially in industries where it is more important to be skilled than to have a degree. There has been a more selective approach to entry-level positions in the trades and tech industries, where potential employees are vetted on their ability to be reliable in a work setting. CourseCareers is a showcase of the opportunities that are available to individuals without the necessity of a college education.
