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Most of us are familiar with the concept of intelligence testing as it relates to our performance in school, but we often don’t stop to question how the results apply to our real-world success. What if you excel in other areas, or you simply aren’t interested in traditional academic approaches?

Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University first addressed this issue in the early 1980s with his theory of Multiple Intelligences. He believed that standard tests of intelligence didn’t tell the whole story of a person’s strengths, talents, and learning style.

If you’re considering a career in the skilled trades, you may be familiar with the individual skills required to succeed in each job—for instance, you likely understand that a welder should have steady hands and good concentration. But if you’ve heard of employers looking for “soft skills”, you may question what qualifies as a soft skill and whether soft skills are really all that important in the skilled trades.

The simplest explanation is that soft skills are the interpersonal skills that you need to succeed in your career. In other words, they’re people skills, and all workers need to develop them as part of their career training. It doesn’t matter whether you choose an academic degree program or technical training; you should always invest in a program where your instructors and mentors will put an appropriate focus on your entire skill set because that approach offers the greatest chance of lifelong success. Strong technical skills may get you a job, but a successful career requires equally strong interpersonal skills.

Many Americans still struggle with the perception that a college degree is the best option for anyone planning to enter the work force. But is this really accurate? Maybe for some individuals it is, but for others, technical training programs are a much more practical choice.

Compass Career College in Hammond, Louisiana offers training for jobs in fields such as Welding, Cosmetology, and Allied Health. Many individuals have used the opportunities available at CCC to kick start successful careers and secure brighter futures. They are a vital part of the nation’s work force for whom a college degree would be unnecessary, maybe even counterproductive.

So-called “pink collar” jobs—that is, jobs in fields that have been historically dominated by women—are among some of the fastest-growing and most secure nationwide. Nursing, medical assistant, and nurse aide positions all fall under this umbrella. Traditionally, these jobs have offered lower pay rates and less prestige precisely because they were considered “women’s work”, but times are changing, and the current economic climate may force some blue-collar workers to re-evaluate their role in the labor force.

Medical Billing & Coding is a popular technical training program, and for good reason: Employees in this field are an integral part of the current U.S. healthcare system. Medical billers and coders apply specialized numerical codes to any diagnosis, service, or procedure offered by healthcare providers. These codes are utilized in creating medical records and filing insurance claims.

Medical billers and coders can build solid careers in any part of the country, including the Gulf Coast region. If you’re from the Hammond or Greater New Orleans area and are looking for a springboard to career stability or a change in career direction, there are several good reasons to look into the Medical Billing & Coding program at Compass Career College.