Though Benilde-St. Margaret’s is a college preparatory school where students typically enroll in a 4-year undergraduate program following high school, recently many students find themselves searching for an alternative post-graduation plan. For many, this route looks like attending trade school.

There has been talk throughout Benilde-St. Margaret’s halls about the high number of senior students who are not looking to attend a four year undergraduate school. There are pressures that come with making this choice as most of the student body enrolls in a traditional college.

Senior Hayden Caywood began studying his trade of welding the summer after his junior year. He shared that trade school is purely instructor based and in order to move forward in a trade an instructor will give a sign off once you complete the given task. “[There’s] more time working than in-class time, but limited to no work or homework outside of class,” Caywood said.

Caywood is a part time student and has been a full-time welder through Hennepin County Technical College in Brooklyn Park, during the entirety of his senior year. He puts an emphasis on the benefits he has seen taking an alternate route to the furthering of his education post-high school, as well as in his senior year. “Starting trade school in my senior year helped me learn time management, just being able to balance my school schedule, work schedule, and class schedule outside of school brings you into the real world … outside of being in school. This allows you to do things more on your own time,” Caywood said.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s has been accommodating to Caywood’s aspirations to start his trade during his senior year. “Through PSEO, which stands for post secondary enrollment opportunities [which] is where the state pays for your college classes, I have made over $750 in awards given to me through Hennepin Tech, along with my average income, which can be $27 an hour. I am just interested in making money and pursuing my life outside of school,” Caywood said.

Caywood also reflects on the stigma around not taking the typical 4-year undergraduate track that many of the Benilde seniors feel pressured to take. “It is a struggle at a college preparatory school. They send a lot of kids through PSEO to English classes or business classes, having a college prep school send a student to be a welder was the first Benilde has ever seen” Caywood said.

“Trade school also helps you build those opportunities to connect the bridge between you and big companies; they even give you the opportunities to pursue starting your own thing,” Caywood said.

Caywood is not the only Benilde-St. Margaret’s senior who is ditching the 4-year undergraduate track to pursue a trade; senior Jack Kroft is planning to be an electrician. Kroft, like other students, feels that he is more successful outside of the classroom. “I feel like for me, with wanting to be successful in the future, I feel like college is not the best fit for me. I strive and feel more motivated … in working areas rather than education.To start your career, you go through an apprenticeship where you get on-the-job hours where you work with live wires; after 3000 hours of working you pass your apprenticeship and you become a journeyman,” Kroft said.

Caywood and Kroft broke away and are now making a hefty income as seniors in high school along with completing the required credits Benilde has to offer. The boys demonstrate that success is possible outside of a university setting. “Of course I want to share and help others realize they have value outside of school, and just because you don’t do well in school does not mean you can’t be successful and take pride in what you do and achieve,” Caywood said.