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How to Prepare Your Homeschooler for a Trade School & Trades Career Path

Resource  |  NH School of Mechanical Trades Interview

How to Prepare Your Homeschooler for a Trade School & Trades Career Path

Introduction

Meet Gina Millard & NH School of Mechanical Trades

Recently, Nxt Era spoke with Gina Millard, who is the Office Manager for NH School of Mechanical Trades. Her educational background is in art, and she has her Bachelor's in Fine Arts. Because of her art degree, she works on ads and website design for the school, as well as many other important duties for the school.

Ms. Millard's father started the business with a good friend. They previously worked as oil heat technicians and decided to switch to teaching as they both grew closer to retirement age. The school has three locations: Manchester, Seacoast, and Lakes Region.

At first, the school focused mainly on an oil heating program technician, but later it expanded to other programs. The school currently offers:

🔥 Oil Heating Technician ❄️ Air Conditioning Technician 🌡️ HVAC Equipment Installer 🔧 HVAC Service Technician 🪠 Plumbing 101 ⚡ Electrical 101

Just like homeschooling, the NH School of Mechanical Trades focuses on adaptation and progress. They teach many visual learners and seek to create an immersive, hands-on environment. The classes require little to no prior skill, so someone without any mechanical experience can take the courses.

The classes involve minor pieces of reading, writing, and lecturing, and the students gain a lot of hands-on experience with the machines. The school emphasizes exploration to show off the trade as well as a breakdown so students can become capable in the mechanical environment. Students even get to troubleshoot the machines, so they learn in class before heading off into the workforce.

Evening Classes 15 weeks in length — ideal for those balancing other commitments.
Morning Classes 8 weeks in length — an accelerated path to the workforce.
No Age Restriction Homeschool students can enter the program in high school.
Zero Fluff Unlike college classes, students learn the facts and correct methods — taught by actual tradesmen.

The school heavily focuses on learning safety protocols so students are prepared for the workforce. The teachers are actually tradesmen, so they share real-life stories with the students.

Ms. Millard will work with each homeschooling family and can assist in helping them with the paperwork. All the high school credits depend on the situation and/or family — she can work with families to help them see if they can receive credits or apply them to an elective.

Ms. Millard also helps with career advancement. She provides advice to students on networking and searching for jobs. She suggested that students should practice confidence in interviews as well as look for a good work environment. Often, some companies will help pay for trade school education. Plus, trade schools offer little to no debt. The trades need workers right now, so students can find empty spaces to learn and then work.

How can you prepare your homeschooler for a trade school like the NH School of Mechanical Trades? Ms. Millard provided helpful tips.

  • Teach your homeschooler how to engage and show interest.
    NxtEra's Spin
    Show your homeschooler how to engage with subjects. Encourage them to show their interests off and ask thoughtful questions. Explain to them that it's respectful and considerate to engage with teachers and show interest in the things that they say.
  • Teach your homeschooler how to problem-solve.
    NxtEra's Spin
    Give your homeschooler a problem and encourage them to solve it on their own. If they need your assistance, give it, but encourage them to seek independence and troubleshoot to figure out the solution. Whether you ask them to find a better, less expensive way to source something or create something to fill a need, let them work on their own.
  • Teach your homeschooler how to learn with hands-on methods.
    NxtEra's Spin
    Encourage your homeschooler to learn using their hands. Let them dig deep in the dirt or create a fun art project. Show them that learning can come from using our hands and five senses. For example, let them experiment with a STEM project.
  • Teach your homeschooler how to learn about trade schools.
    NxtEra's Spin
    Take your homeschooler to trade school tours or encourage them to watch videos online about the trades. Perhaps your local trade school might offer online videos. Motivate your homeschooler to study the trades to learn more.

The trades hold great opportunities for homeschoolers. Particularly, the NH School of Mechanical Trades creates wonderful career paths for students. In America, trades are vital and a major part of our culture. Thus, with Ms. Millard's skillset and advice, a homeschooler can take their career in the trades to the nxt level.

They can focus on their dreams through hands-on work that creates a fulfilling life. If your homeschooler wants to pursue a career in trades, motivate them through our implementation steps and connect with a school like the NH School of Mechanical Trades today!