Trade Schools in Pueblo: A Great Way to Launch Your Career

IntelliTec College and Pueblo Community College offer excellent programs geared for those pursuing careers in the trades.

By Rebecca Treon on April 27, 2024

Steve Bigley

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, trade school enrollment has seen a significant uptick in students since the pandemic. The reasons are varied – students know they have the potential to earn six figures, won’t have student loan debt and know their jobs will be in demand as many skilled workers are approaching retirement. 

If you’re looking for trade schools in Pueblo, there are options for those who feel a four-year college degree isn’t the right choice for them. Both IntelliTec College and Pueblo Community College (PCC) provide programs geared toward trades. 

IntelliTec prepares students for careers in industries such as health care, construction and automotive. Pueblo Community College offers apprenticeships, giving students the opportunity to get certified as medical assistants or medical coders while simultaneously working. The school also offers programs that students can start while still attending high school, in addition to its numerous certification options. 

Ryan Dearth

Finding Success Through Hands-on Learning 

Alan Pence is parts manager at Vidmar Motor Co. Born and raised in Pueblo, he attended Chavez-Huerta Preparatory Academy, which has a partnership with PCC. Pence says that academics were never his strength, but he loved the hands-on aspect of the automotive technology program he completed. 

PCC also helps students with soft skills like how to dress, create a resume and interview, and it gives students an internship. 

For Pence, that was the foot in the door he needed to land the job. “I love that there’s never a day where things are the same. My days go by quickly, there are always new challenges and you always need to be on your toes,” he says. “It’s also nice to know you’re helping someone.” 

Pence encourages young people who may not know what they want to do to consider the trade schools in Pueblo. He loves working with his hands, being able to fix something and working in an industry that’s essential to day-to-day life. 

“I’ve never thought of doing a trade as ‘less than,’” he says. “It doesn’t hurt to give it a shot, learn something, acquire a new skill and build on it. Trades are always in demand as something people need – they really do make the world go round.” 

Never too Late to Launch Your Career

Brittany Burghardt graduated from the medical assisting associate degree program at IntelliTec College, and, now she works at Pueblo Cardiology Associates. 

Burghardt, who is a mother of three children ages 8, 15 and 17, decided to go back to school to work toward her career when her youngest child went to school full time. 

“I ended up not missing a single day of class and got into the National Honor Society,” Burghardt says. “What I think is cool about IntelliTec’s classes is that they’re hands-on – you’re practicing your skills on a real human being.” 

During the 18-month associate’s degree of technical science program, students learn how to take a patient’s vitals, like blood pressure, oxygen levels and heart rate, and check their medication. 

They learn about how the heart functions, how to read EKGs, how to draw blood and how to take a patient’s measurements such as weight and height. They also learn how to use the apps that store patient information so health care providers all have access to it. 

The school also offers a program that’s fewer than 18 months and trains students to work in a medical laboratory. 

For Burghardt, that program was a great way to get her start working in the medical field, further understand the industry and move forward in her career. 

“As a medical assistant, I felt like I could do more one-on-one with patients and see what the field is actually like, then take steps to get my RN license,” she says. “I would tell other people thinking of pursuing this to never doubt yourself. Once you’re working, you’ll continue to learn, but the program will prepare you for the real world.”