Some 2025 IPS grads are choosing skilled trades and technical training over college

In recent years, many people have seen a traditional four-year college degree as decreasing in value — as tuition costs rise and the path doesn’t always align with certain career goals.

While some IPS graduates will be heading to college in the fall, others have different career plans.

John Hernandez graduated from Arsenal Tech High School this week. He’s been enrolled in the school’s automotive program since he moved to Indianapolis a little over two years ago. He became interested after working on cars with his dad as a child.

Hernandez said joining the automotive program was “the best decision he’s made.”

“At the end of the day, finding out the problem and then solving it was just a big accomplishment,” he said. “It's just something that I enjoy doing every day.”

He has an 11-month program lined up working on diesel engines with Caterpillar, the heavy equipment manufacturer. The program is completely paid for. Hernandez’s ultimate goal is to open his own shop in Honduras, where his family is from. He says there is a demand for repair services.

“There’s a lot of big machinery over there, there’s not so many shops, and I wish to expand that over there,” Hernandez said.

Automotive services is one of several career pathways offered at Arsenal Tech.

Fewer Indiana high school graduates go directly to college, and more are pursuing career and technical education — like Hernandez. In the class of 2023, nearly 40% of Indiana students concentrated in a career field by taking at least three courses in one area. More than 80% took at least one course in a career pathway.

In 2022, 28.3% of IPS graduates attended college immediately after graduation, according to the most recent data from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
 

Dennis Bailey has helped run Arsenal Tech’s automotive program since 2017. He believes the program teaches students useful, practical skills and also creates pathways to lucrative careers.

“I’d like to see them all get into the field in some way,” Bailey said. “But even if they don’t, even if they can find a job somewhere and use their knowledge of automotive as kind of a side hustle to get them some extra money… then we’ve done that kid good.”

In the program, students learn safety, brakes, steering, suspension, and engines. Bailey said they have connections with several nearby companies, which gives students a leg up when finding a job or internship in the field.

“If you can get them invested in a trade, the possibilities are crazy,” he said.

Daisy Belli-Gerardo joined the automotive program as a junior. Her uncle got her interested in working on cars when she was around 12 years old.

After graduation, Belli-Gerardo plans to study hospitality management. She wants to run a hotel someday. But she says her automotive knowledge gives her a safety net, and the ability to work on cars herself will be useful regardless of her career.

“Maybe I’m not gonna work on this, but I’m a woman, and the prices to get your car fixed are high,” Belli-Gerardo said. “So I was like, well, I can do it on my own.”

Indianapolis Public Schools high schools — Crispus Attucks, George Washington, Arsenal Tech, and Shortridge — held graduation ceremonies this week.

WFYI education reporter Sydney Dauphinais covers Marion County schools. Contact her at sdauphinais@wfyi.org.