Forward Observations: A College for the Trades

Williamson College of the Trades (williamson.edu), near Philadelphia, knows how to address the skills crisis. For 127 years, it has helped build the local-trade talent pool using a powerful approach that includes free tuition and a rigorous three-year program that culminates in an associate degree in one of six trades. It was founded as the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades by Quaker merchant and philanthropist Isaiah Williamson (no relation to contributing editor, Bob Williamson), whose goal was “to provide financially disadvantaged young men the opportunity to become productive and respected members of society.”

Though recently renamed a college (to elevate its perception beyond the trades), Williamson continues to operate in much the same manner as always. It’s free to economically disadvantaged males, under age 20, who have a high-school diploma or equivalent; it accepts 100 students each year from the 400 applications it receives; and virtually everyone accepted attends. Students enter a military-style environment, spend most of their time on the school’s 220-acre campus, and commit to learning a chosen trade from those offered: power-plant technology, carpentry (the two most popular), machine-tool technology, paint-and-coatings technology, masonry, and horticulture. In addition to an associate degree, graduates invariably receive enough job offers to make their young heads spin.

Williamson College of the Trades’ main building on its Philadelphia-area campus was designed by renowned architect Frank Furness.

“We’ve held two career fairs a year for the past six years, and each one has grown,” said Williamson president Michael Rounds. A retired Army officer in his third year at the school, Rounds said the most recent fair attracted 130 companies, an increase from 80 a few years ago. “It’s like no job fair you’ve seen. Many of our students receive multiple job offers. One machinist graduate recently had nine. Companies ask me how they can hire these guys, and I tell them they have to compete for them, show them why they should come work for you. It’s a little different than what they’re used to.”

Rounds attributes the high interest among employers of all stripes—from construction and transportation to power-generation and manufacturing—to Williamson’s solid reputation for trades education and personal development. “Companies are looking for skilled guys who are great with their hands, but they also need guys who have integrity and can be relied on, who will stay on the job until it’s done right. Those soft skills are really in demand, and that’s what the reputation of Williamson really brings.” Some employers are so anxious to hire a Williamson graduate, noted Rounds, they’re not particular about their trade. Just having a Williamson grad on staff is enough.

Though best known in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, Williamson’s reputation is growing. “We recently had visitors from some major companies in Wisconsin who wanted to build a Williamson campus in Green Bay,” said Rounds. “They told us every big city should have a Williamson. But part of the problem with that is if you do it the way we do it—where we don’t charge students a dime and they have no obligation to pay anything back—it’s not a great business model. But it’s what Mr. Williamson told us to do.”

With a budget defined by an original endowment from Williamson, plus donations, the school makes do with its original buildings and a lean approach to operations. Similarly, observed Rounds, “We have almost no legacy. Everyone who graduated from Williamson would love to send his son here, but they can’t because they’re typically no longer in economic need. If we’re doing our job,” he said, “they don’t qualify! There are too many other young men who need this opportunity.”