In one calendar year, the Algoma High School Technical Education program has doubled in size. Instructor Matt Abel says that enrollment tends to be lumpy but the trend has been going in the right direction for years now.

Abel doesn’t know exactly what has caused the increased interest but he says that the high cost of college could definitely be a factor. Vocational training and traditional apprenticeships are quickly gaining a reputation as a responsible way to begin a career rather than just a Plan B or inferior option to a four-year diploma from a university.