Gottrades.org

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Pursuing a college degree is not for everyone yet our high school students are FORCEFULLY encouraged to attend college upon graduation and through a confluence of societal impulses, made to feel that anything less than that is unwise. At an average cost of $35,720 per student per year many students find themselves trapped by massive debt - a debt that places added stress upon young adults trying to pursue God and his plan for their lives. Add to this the fact that most public colleges are bastions of anti-Christian rhetoric and indoctrination, and it is no wonder that 66% of Christian kids drop out of church and walk away from their faith in college. Why then do so many Christian parents continue to encourage their children toward college? Good parents want to see their kids succeed and the narrative has been that you have to go to college to succeed. Those who don't choose to attend college, or whose parents don't idealize college, are often derided by family and friends as being irresponsible.

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Refreshingly we believe you have a choice: receiving a college degree is not the only path to “success”. Trade schools, vocational programs and entrepreneurship all offer the potential for financial stability (the world's definition of “success”) while also offering freedom of schedule and life to pursue God's calling. We believe having freedom to attend family functions is equally as important as financial freedom, and they're not mutually exclusive!

With a better return on investment, the Trades, vocational programs and entrepreneurship deserve to be studied and respected at least as much as college attendance in our society.

We provide introductory experiences to vocational pursuits for young people in a Godly environment. Through “Vocational Bible School” summer sessions and longer, semester length sessions we hope to begin the journey along another viable path for our young people to “study to show themselves approved unto God.”