Tidewater Tech-Trades

Tidewater Tech-Trades is a private for-profit, less-than-two-year institution located in Norfolk, Virginia, a midsize city and major military and port hub on the Hampton Roads waterway. The school enrolls 1,258 students (IPEDS 2023) and holds a quality score of 55 out of 100. It reports a completion rate of 74% (IPEDS 2023) and a retention rate of 69% (IPEDS 2023).

The school offers three 1-to-2-year certificate programs focused on skilled trades: Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician, Welding Technology/Welder, and Heating Air Conditioning Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician. These programs prepare students for entry-level trade positions in automotive service, welding, and HVAC maintenance.

Norfolk and the broader Hampton Roads region support a large industrial and service economy, with demand for skilled tradespeople in automotive, welding, and HVAC fields driven in part by the region's military installations and commercial sectors. Tidewater Tech-Trades provides focused, short-duration credentials designed to move students efficiently into the local trades workforce.