Best Trade & Tech Schools inGrand Rapids, MI

Top Trade and Tech Schools in Grand Rapids, MI

Those people who are searching for local, accredited trade schools are in the right place as we have listed schools in Grand Rapids, MI which offer programs in skilled trades like HVAC, auto mechanic, medical and healthcare certificate and degree programs, technology, and other STEM career fields and which certainly deserve your attention.


Empire Beauty School

Every Empire Beauty School is held to high standards, meaning that they are licensed in each state by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences.

Enrollment: Once you are ready to begin your exciting future in the field of the beauty industry, you should not have second thoughts but choose Empire Beauty School.

What this school has to offer is the possibility to reach an exciting future in the beauty industry and to take advantage of the many opportunities an education.

The application process is simple and the greatest part is done online.

The admission to Empire Beauty School consists of:

  • Initial contact from a school representative who will provide answers to any questions you may have and will assist you with enrollment forms
  • Review of financial aid availability
  • An appointment to tour a school

By submitting the application form available on the school’s official website, you accept to receive calls/SMS/text messages from Empire related to your application status.

Courses Offered:

  • Cosmetology
  • Cosmetology Educator
  • Esthetics

Contact Information:

  • Empire Beauty School
  • Address: 455 Standale Plaza NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534
  • Phone: +1 616-433-2232
  • Web: https://www.empire.edu

Kirkhof College of Nursing

Enrollment: Kirkhof College of Nursing is open to high school students who are interested in the nursing program.

What they need to do as a starting point of their application process is to call the nursing office for assistance or attend an Information Session.
Nursing Office of Student Service is available on the following phone number 616-331-7160 Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm.

The other way of meeting the admission representative is by setting up a campus tour through the Admissions Office.

You can either choose a group presentation and campus tour which is the two-hour visit for incoming freshman with an admissions representative, or an admissions counselor appointment and campus tour, which is a meeting one-on-one with an admissions counselor who will tell you all about housing, tuition, majors, and more.

Group reservations must be scheduled a minimum of two weeks in advance.

Courses Offered:

  • Baccalaureate Program
  • Baccalaureate Program for Second Degree Students
  • RN to BSN Program
  • Master of Science In Nursing
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice
  • Interprofessional Palliative and Hospice Care Certificate

Contact Information:

  • Kirkhof College of Nursing
  • Address: 301 Michigan St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  • Phone: +1 616-331-3558
  • Web: https://www.gvsu.edu

Ross Medical Education Center

Ross Medical Education Centers are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Enrollment: If you are interested in the enrollment requirements, here are the guidelines which you need to have in mind prior to applying.

Students have to satisfactorily complete an evaluation that measures general ability through the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam.

The eligible applicants are those who have graduated from a valid high school or must have completed a recognized equivalent (GED).

There are specific enrollment requirements for certain programs, such as the Dental Assistant and Pharmacy Technician Program and students entering them must also be 18 years of age.

Students entering the Pharmacy Technician Program must also pass a required background check.

Fees: Tuition differs from program to program.

Medical Assistant – $15,990.00

Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration – $15,990.00

Dental Assistant – $15,990.00

Pharmacy Technician – $14,990.00

Veterinary Assistant $14,200.00

The Medical Assistant Specialist Associate of Applied Science program, the Dental Assistant Specialist Associate of Applied Science program and the Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration Specialist Associate of Applied Science – $10,950.00.

Courses Offered:

  • Medical Assistant
  • Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration
  • Dental Assistant
  • Pharmacy Technician
  • Nursing Assistant
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Nursing
  • Practical Nursing
  • Veterinary Assistant
  • Veterinary Technician
  • Human, Social, and Health Services
  • Health Administrative Services
  • Medical Office Management
  • Medical Billing Administrative Specialist

Contact Information:


Kent Career Technical Center

Kent Career Technical Center has programs that are designed for students who are eager to learn valuable skills, earn college and high school credit, and start their successful future while getting the best possible education.

Enrollment: The enrollment process consists of a few steps and the first one is that students discuss the opportunity with their home school counselor.

Enrollment requests can be entered by the local districts in early February, while the current Kent Career Tech Center students will go through the early enrollment process in November/December.

What you are encouraged to do is to contact Kent Career Tech Center student services and schedule a program visit, which will be the beginning of your enrollment process and during which you will get familiar with all the eligibility and enrollment requirements.

You are eligible to attend Kent Career Tech Center only if you have completed the tenth grade and will be 16 years old on or before December 1st.

Courses Offered:

  • 3d Animation & Game Design
  • Applied Construction Technology
  • Auto Collision Repair
  • Automotive Technology
  • Aviation Electronics
  • Aviation Maintenance Technology
  • Criminal Justice
  • Design Lab
  • Diesel & Equipment Technology
  • Engineering & Arch. Design
  • Entrepreneurship & Marketing
  • Graphic Communications
  • Health Careers Main Campus
  • Health Early College Academy
  • Heating, Air, Refrigeration (Hvacr)
  • Hospitality And Culinary
  • Information Technology
  • Mechatronics

Contact Information:

  • Kent Career Technical Center
  • Address: 1655 East Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525
  • Phone: +1 616-364-8421
  • Web: https://www.thetechcenter.or

Douglas J Aveda Institute

Those eager to reach education in the beauty field should know that the experience they can gain from a Douglas J education is like no other.

Once they finish school, students will be able to enter the industry with superior technical and professional standards.

The Douglas J Aveda Institute is proud to be accredited by NACCAS, meaning that it has passed a strict, ongoing process, so as to reach this standard of excellence.

Enrollment: If working in the beauty industry is your goal, you can enroll in the cosmetology program which can help you achieve it.

The enrollment process is made simple so that everybody can apply.

You will have to contact the admission office to learn about how you can apply and what you will need for the application.

What you will need to demonstrate is your high passion for this career as well as readiness and ability to successfully perform this job.

Courses Offered:

  • COSMETOLOGY
  • ESTHIOLOGY
  • MASSAGE THERAPY
  • BARBERING

Contact Information:

  • Douglas J Aveda Institute
  • Address: 138 Commerce Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  • Phone: +1 616-808-3078
  • Web: https://douglasj.edu/

Blue Heron Academy

Some of the reasons why people choose Blue Heron Academy are:

  • Low-Cost Fast-Track Career Training Programs
  • Both Day and Evening Classes for Working Adults
  • Small Class Sizes
  • Rewarding Positive Career & Life Changes

Enrollment: The Blue Heron Academy Registration Form can be found on the school’s official website and by completing it you will show your interest in enrolling in any program at Blue Heron Academy.

You can choose between a PDF and a Word version of the registration form, and the Word version should be “saved” first to your computer and then viewed and printed using Microsoft Word.

Once your form is received, one of the Admissions Advisors will contact you.

As a part of the application process, the future student must provide a Vision Statement of his/her background, motivation and goals as they relate to the decision to study at this Academy.

A $100.00 application fee must accompany this application.

You are supposed to mail application and fee to the following address:

Administration Office

Blue Heron Academy

2040 Raybrook SE. Suite 104

Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Courses Offered:

  • Medical Massage Therapy
  • Holistic Health Practitioner
  • Phlebotomy Technician
  • Personal Fitness Trainer
  • Life Coach
  • Clinical Nutrition
  • Herbal Medicine
  • Diet-Weight Management
  • Acupressure & Massage

Contact Information:


Grand Rapids Community College Sneden Hall

Being that a lot of people come to GRCC every year to look for an ideal career and invest in their future, you should not waste more time searching but get acquainted with the academic opportunities available at Grand Rapids Community College Sneden Hall.

Enrollment: The best way to find out which career is for you is to meet with an admissions specialist who will offer you options to pay for college and determine if we are the best fit for your academic or professional goals.

You must be a fully admitted student before you can register for classes.

Additionally, you may also have to complete an orientation requirement.

The registration for classes starts by visiting your Online Center and entering your User ID.

The system will then lead you through the whole process.

We encourage new students to schedule an admissions appointment, where the representatives will help you start or finish the admissions process.

Courses Offered:

  • Adult & Developmental Education
  • Applied Technology
  • Automotive
  • Biological Sciences
  • Business
  • Computer Information Systems
  • Criminal Justice
  • Dental Auxiliaries
  • Education and Child Development
  • English
  • Exercise Science
  • Job Training
  • Language and Thought
  • Manufacturing
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical & Architectural Design
  • Music
  • Nursing
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Physical Sciences
  • Preschool Lab
  • Psychology
  • Radiologic Technology
  • Secchia Institute for Culinary Education
  • Social Sciences
  • Theater
  • Visual Arts
  • Workforce Training

Contact Information:

  • Grand Rapids Community College Sneden Hall
  • Address: 415 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
  • Phone: +1 616-234-2249
  • Web: https://grcc.edu

Calvin University

Enrollment: The application procedure for Calvin University starts with creating an account.

If you are a returning user, you just need to log in and then choose the application you wish to complete.

In case this is your first time in any college or university and you are a U.S. citizen, make sure to check out the application deadlines, and don’t hesitate to get in touch with the admission office if you have any questions.

These are the guidelines on how to apply to Calvin.

Future students need to provide either the Calvin University Application or The Common Application which should be filled out with accurate and honest answers.

Then, they need to provide their SAT or ACT or CLT scores, either from their official high school transcript or sent directly from the testing agency as well as high school transcript – completed by their guidance counselor through the application or college/university transcripts.

A good thing to know is that test scores, transcripts, and recommendations may be sent after your application is submitted.

The application deadline is February 1.

Fees: Tuition is $36,100.

Courses Offered:

These are just some of the programs offered:

  • Accounting – MAcc
  • Accounting Major
  • Analytics and Research
  • Business
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance Major
  • Human Resource Management Major
  • Marketing Management
  • Professional Selling
  • Supply Chain Management Minor
  • Communication & Media Studies
  • Communication
  • Digital Communication
  • Film & Media Major—Production Concentration
  • Film & Media Major—Studies Concentration
  • Health Communication
  • Journalism
  • Organizational Communication
  • Strategic Communication Major—Professional Track
  • Strategic Communication Major—Rhetoric Track
  • Education
  • Bilingual Spanish Education

Contact Information:

  • Calvin University
  • Address: 3201 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  • Phone: +1 616-526-6000
  • Web: https://calvin.edu

Olivet Nazarene University Grand Rapids Regional Center

Enrollment: The Olivet Nazarene University Grand Rapids Regional Center Admissions process can be completed in just a few simple steps.

First, applicants are supposed to fill out an application online in less than 10 minutes.

Once your application is received,  an  Admissions  Counselor will contact you and answer any questions you may have about the program and the admissions process.

You are supposed to provide some supporting documents such as your official transcripts and depending on your program of choice, there are specific application items required before you gain admission to Olivet.

Fees: When tuition and fees are in question, Olivet tuition does not contain hidden fees and what is even better, your Financial Aid representative will provide you with a plan related to the way you can pay the tuition or apply for financial aid before you begin your program.

You can also make use of the Net Price Calculator available on the school’s website and determine the approximate amount of money needed, being that how to pay for school is often one of the biggest challenges.

Courses Offered:

  • Business
  • Education
  • Nursing
  • Ministry
  • Life Coaching
  • Multi-Disciplinary Studies
  • Professional Development

Contact Information:

  • Olivet Nazarene University Grand Rapids Regional Center
  • Address: 625 Kenmoor Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  • Phone: +1 877-965-4838
  • Web: https://online.olivet.edu/

West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology

Enrollment: If you are wondering who is eligible to enroll in West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology, you should know that all Grand Rapids Public high school students are eligible to register for our tuition-free afterschool studio experiences.

Students should complete an application which is available for download on the school’s webpage and bring it with them to one of two enrollment events at WMCAT.

What interested applicants can do is to come to see their studios, learn about our programs and submit or pick up an application.

Placement is made on a first-come, first-served basis and it is very important that your contact info is accurate, being that the staff will get in touch with you.

Students who attend an enrollment information session will have their applications processed and considered first.

If you choose the Adult Career Training Program, you have to meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Have a high school diploma or GED
  • No felony record
  • Live in Kent County

Courses Offered:

  • MEDICAL BILLING
  • MEDICAL CODING
  • PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

Contact Information:

  • West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology
  • Address: 614 First St NW #300, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
  • Phone: +1 616-454-7004
  • Web: https://wmcat.org

Trade Schools in Michigan by City

See trade schools in Michigan >>

Final Thoughts

Now that you have read this, you want to advance your skills and you know that a traditional four-year college is not for you, then you may consider a trade school in Grand Rapids, being that it has a wide range of quality schools to choose from.

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