Giving Compass' Take:

• Kay S. Hymowitz joins City Journal editor Brian Anderson to discuss Pennsylvania’s Williamson College of the Trades, a three-year school for young men offering a debt-free path to high-paying work, and the life skills to help them get there.

• How can other schools learn from the philanthropy based free-tuition model at Williamson?

• Read more about making college tuition-free.

“Trade schools” have long had a stigma in American culture, but Williamson is no ordinary trade school: students wake up early to the sound of reveille and attend academic classes in coats and ties. As Hymowitz writes in City Journal’s autumn issue, “With its old-timey rituals, rigorous scheduling, and immersive culture, Williamson has a military-school feel.” But according to the students she interviewed, the prospect of a good-paying career makes the strict rules more than worth it.

Brian Anderson: Welcome back to the 10 Blocks Podcast. This is Brian Anderson, the editor of City Journal. Joining me on the show today is Kay Hymowitz. Kay is the William E. Simon Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a longtime contributing editor at City Journal. Her latest piece in the magazine, “Trading Up” looks at a remarkable post-secondary trade school called Williamson College of the Trades. Located 20 miles outside Philadelphia. The school enrolling around 300 students. All low income boys, provides a debt free path to good jobs for kids who don't want to go the traditional four year university route. Though it's a small institution, a number of Williamson's alumni have graduated into the big time from modest beginnings. Kay Hymowitz had the opportunity to visit the school earlier this year and she was impressed with the students to say the least. You can find the full essay “Trading Up” on our website and we'll link to it in the description. That's it for the introduction. We'll take a quick break and be back with Kay Hymowitz.

Read the full article about trade school success by Kay S. Hymowitz at City Journal.