Best Trade Schools in San Diego

Founded in 1984, Associated Technical College is a trade school that helps individuals in San Diego and its neighboring areas develop the skills needed for technical jobs in the IT industry. The programs available are telecommunications technology and microcomputer technology. With maintained contacts with various employers, the school can provide job placement assistance to its graduates. Associated Technical College has a "free-standing" status as granted by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

California Institute of Arts & Technology (CIAT) helps individuals in San Diego learn the skills needed to pursue an IT career. It offers certificate programs for Cisco CCNA and CCNP, Networking Technician, Computer Technician, and Computer Information Systems. It also offers associate degrees, providing students with hands-on vocational training and career preparation. In addition, CIAT offers Bachelor's of Applied Science degrees in Cybersecurity, Networking, and Cloud concentrations. CIAT is accredited by ACCET and works with DOR to accommodate students with disabilities.

Since 2005, California Medical College has been preparing San Diego students for a healthcare career. The school offers accelerated programs that lead to national and state certification. These include EKG technician, medical billing and coding, pharmacy technician, professional medical technician, nurse assistant, and home health courses. A group of physicians, nurses, and educators provide theoretical and clinical instruction in the institution. California Medical College students receive textbooks, supplies, and support with job placement and certification.

Center for Employment Training San Diego is a private postsecondary institution that caters to individuals in the local metro. For more than 50 years, it has been offering a wide variety of training programs, including welding fabrication, green construction, and medical assistance. Its green construction program is designed for students who want to become solar technicians, maintenance technicians, solar framers, carpenters' helpers, and plumbers' helpers. The institution also helps students develop interview and resume-building skills. In addition, it serves seasonal farmworkers and migrants under the National Farmworker Jobs Program. CET is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.

Concorde - San Diego provides healthcare training programs in the metro. It equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to start careers as dental assistants, vocational nurses, medical assistants, and surgical technologists. Its faculty conducts classes with hands-on supervision in learning resource centers, laboratories, and a dental hygiene clinic open to the public. Concorde has been helping people for over 65 years with preparing and planning their career paths. It holds accreditations from ACCSC and COE.

National University – Rancho Bernardo, California, offers on-campus and online classes for students in San Diego. It provides more than 75 degrees, certificate, and credential programs for military veterans and active-duty students. It offers several courses in various study areas, including teaching and education, criminal justice and law, healthcare and nursing, business and marketing, and engineering and technology. Established in 1971, National University was founded by David Chigos, a retired U.S. Navy captain.

PhlebotomyU is a private institution established in 1986, educating San Diego and the neighboring regions. It offers programs to help students obtain Certified Phlebotomy Technician I (CPT I) certificates and prepare them for entry-level and advanced positions in clinics, hospitals, and laboratories. Its course includes basic & advanced didactic, as well as hands-on training. The learners are provided opportunities for an externship with a partnering clinic or hospital. Individuals employed as a research assistant in a non-diagnostic setting may opt for its blood withdrawal course, including practical coursework for hands-on experience.

Platt College is a private post-secondary educational institution accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. The school caters to residents of San Diego. It offers visual arts courses including graphic, web, and digital media design, in addition to 3D modeling and digital video production. The college's alumni have gone on to work for visual effects and entertainment companies such as Industrial Light and Magic, DreamWorks, and Sony Computer Entertainment, and Blue Sky Studios.

San Diego Medical College is a school that caters to students looking to pursue careers in healthcare. It offers various classes, including the nurse assistant program, which includes CPR training, state testing handbooks, and training guides. Students who complete the program are qualified to take the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program exam and are provided with job placement assistance and testing reviews. Other programs include first aid and home health aide training. San Diego Medical College is an American Heart Association-authorized training provider and a Pearson-Authorized Test Center.

Summit College has been providing trade and technical education programs to students in San Diego since 1991. The trade school offers programs in the field of business, trade and technical, and allied health. It has trade programs for HVAC, electrician, and welding. Its certificate programs in payroll and human resources train students in bookkeeping, computer, and business skills. Summit College is approved by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education and accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training.