Top 3 Programs for High School Students Seeking Scholarships

There are almost endless possibilities for choosing a career path, but these three program areas are expected to see exceptional job growth by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)—and students are getting scholarships to prepare for the demand. Here are the top three programs for high school students receiving scholarships for tuition:

Automotive Technician

Are you good with your hands and mechanically inclined? If so, then consider pursuing a career as an auto mechanic. Imagine America works with automotive schools across the United States to offer career college and automotive scholarships for auto mechanic students. According to the BLS, the average median wage for auto mechanics was $38,470 per year (according to May 2016 data). As far as job growth goes, the BLS predicts that auto service tech jobs will keep up with the estimated job growth for all other occupations.

Before enrolling, research online job placement statistics and find out whether the school offers any career services that will help you ready your resume and prepare to engage with employers in the area. Search for an automotive training program that provides courses accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation and has instructors who are certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.

Welding

If you love to work with your hands and get a thrill out of working with metals, heavy machinery and in inclement weather, then this career path might be right for you! If you’re eager and determined to learn the skill of welding from your instructors and are willing to put in the time, hard work and practice, you can more than compensate for any lack of natural talent or experience.

Imagine America works with trade schools across the United States to help future welders, cutters, solderers and brazers train for their next job in the field. The United States is facing a shortage of welders—a shortage of about 400,000 operators by 2024, according to the American Welding Society. Because of this need, you should have great hiring potential once you have enough practice time under your belt and have passed the welding certification exam.

Medical Assistant

If you know you enjoy working directly with patients, it’s possible you’ve thought about working as a medical assistant. Depending on what program you enroll in, you could begin making an impact in the health care field in two years or less.

It’s no secret that the aging population and innovations in technology are reshaping the U.S. health care landscape. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has positive forecasts for the health care field in general, which includes long-term opportunities for medical assistants. In fact, the field of health care is expected to grow at an impressive 19 percent—more than twice the national average of 7 percent. And the BLS predicts job growth for medical assistants specifically to be 23 percent, more than three times the national average.

If you’re interested in one of these career paths, IAF can help you find a school in your area that offers relevant programs. We can also help you pay for school with our scholarship and award programs! Visit our scholarships page for more information and to apply before the December 31 deadline.