Definition

1. Noun:
   • A secondary school teaching the skilled trades: A trade school is an educational institution, typically at the secondary or post-secondary level, that focuses on providing practical skills and training for specific occupations or crafts, rather than offering a broad academic curriculum.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • After high school, he decided to attend a trade school to become an electrician.
  • The local trade school offers excellent programs in automotive repair and culinary arts.
  • Many students find that a trade school provides a more direct path to employment than a traditional college.

Advanced Usage

• "vocational school": This is a common synonym for trade school, emphasizing career-oriented training.
  • The terms "trade school" and "vocational school" are often used interchangeably.
• "technical college": Sometimes used to describe a trade school, especially one focusing on more technical fields like engineering technology or computer networking.

Variants and Related Words

• Vocational education (n): The broader category of education that prepares people for specific trades, crafts, and careers at various levels.
  • The government is investing more in vocational education to address the skills gap.
• Apprenticeship (n): A system of training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession through on-the-job training, often combined with study. This is related to but distinct from trade school education.
  • He completed a four-year apprenticeship after finishing his courses at a trade school.

Synonyms

• Vocational school: A school offering instruction in skilled trades.
• Technical school: A school teaching practical and mechanical arts.
• Career college: A private post-secondary school offering career-specific training.

Related Phrases

• "enroll in a trade school": To officially register and begin studies at a trade school.
  • She plans to enroll in a trade school next semester.
• "graduate from a trade school": To complete a program of study at a trade school.
  • He graduated from a trade school with a certificate in welding.

Related Idioms

• "Learn a trade": To acquire the skills for a specific manual or technical occupation. This is the core purpose of attending a trade school.
  • His father advised him to learn a trade so he would always have a valuable skill.

Noun

1. a secondary school teaching the skilled trades