Why I chose to skip the traditional college path and train to become an electrician instead

• Grant Holderman is training to be an electrician instead of going to a four-year college.
• Electricians are in high demand as the US transitions to a greener economy.
• This article is part of the "5 Trends to Bet Your Career On" series.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Grant Holderman, 18, who is training to become an electrician in New Hampshire. This conversation was edited for length and clarity.

I'm 18 and live in New London, New Hampshire, and graduated from high school in June. Even though a lot of my teachers talked about college, I just never felt it was the right path for me and I didn't want to go into debt.