For a century, San Antonio's only claim to fame was the Alamo, site of the famous 1836 battle. Today, it's high-tech all the way, with support from numerous trade schools and vocational schools. You can find trade school courses ranging from information technology to paralegal, from healthcare to real estate appraisal, and some programs take only a few months to complete. May 2008 employment statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that the following sectors had very healthy numbers of jobs in San Antonio:

• Construction: 53,600 jobs
• Education and Health Services: 122,900 jobs
• Leisure and Hospitality: 103,000 jobs
• Professional and Business Services: 103,400 jobs
• Trade, Transportation, and Utilities: 149,100 jobs

San Antonio, Texas' Booming Economy and Career Opportunities

Metropolitan San Antonio is the second largest city in the booming state of Texas and home to more than 1.9 million people. San Antonio is one of the largest military locations in the U.S., which translates into numerous of civilian jobs in information technology, education, health care, real estate, education, and financial services. CNN.com reports that San Antonio's median family income in 2008 was $53,442; BLS cites the following median hourly wages for jobs that were hot in San Antonio in May 2008:

• Chefs and Head Cooks at $12.60
• Computer Programmers at $31.19
• Industrial Engineering Technicians at $20.80
• Paralegals and Legal Assistants at $18.24
• Real Estate Appraisers and Assessors at $26.81
• Respiratory Therapy Technicians at $20.86

Tourism plays a major part in the city's economy--more than 20 million tourists visit each year--and the tourism industry is supported by many trade school programs in the leisure, hospitality, and culinary sectors. Whether you're choosing a first job or want a better, more satisfying job, a San Antonio technical school can provide you with a degree, certificate, diploma or training to meet your needs.