tech school opinions

[searching]

I want to get more into electronic diagnosis and repair for a living. The only school I have found in my area (philadelphia) that offers night school for an associates degree or better is ITT TECHNICAL INSTITUTE. I'm sure it is expensive, but in the long run I am hoping it will be worth it. Does anyone have experience with ITT or have an opinion of this approach to a better career. I work for a large public transit authority which will pay for part of it. But I don't want to waste my time in the wrong school and/or the wrong courses.

[jwax]

searching- The type of school you attend is rather goal-oriented. Would you mind another 6-8 years of school? You'll need that if you want to persue an advanced position down the road with a large company.
However, if you're looking for a bench tech position, the ITT route will serve you well.
I don't want to sound like an old preacher here, but the boys at the top of the corporate ladder usually have advanced degrees. They don't let you get up there without them.
BTW, without intending to open a can of worms, beware of so-called "Bachelor's Engineering Degrees" from non-accredited colleges.
They're called that, but they're not the same as a B.S.E.E.
Research!
John

[Bob Scott]

BTW, without intending to open a can of worms, beware of so-called "Bachelor's Engineering Degrees" from non-accredited colleges.
They're called that, but they're not the same as a B.S.E.E.
Research!
John

I second that! Check out deVry while you are at it. This school and its engineering courses are recognised by the I.E.E.E.

[Bigglez]

I want to get more into electronic diagnosis and repair for a living.

Do you have a career goal in mind? Are there any potential
employers in your commute range? What do you expect to
be doing for a living (bench tech, field tech, phone advisor,
team player, team manager)?

Approach one (or more) of these today and fill out an
application. If it leads to an interview (it may not) you can
ask about pre-requisites for hire. If your target company
has a bar for formal education you must pass it. If they're
flexible on hiring you shouldn't waste your time going to a
school that delivers no advantage with a specific hiring
manager.

I have not hired (or passed on) a candidate due to a 'piece
of paper' in my career, which may be the exception rather
than the rule. Even when I've worked for large companies
with specific formal education requirements for certain
positions.

For example, if I was running a medical clinic I would
require qualified physicians (its a law requirement). If I
was running a walk-in computer repair shop I'd waive all
formal education for a a candidate that could pass a simple
and fair skills and knowledge test during the interview.

I noticed the associate degree schools-for-profit have been
offering "computer games curriculum" recently. This is a
sign that they want to fill a demand for those skills, and
less so on the jobs for a generalist technician that can
tackle any electronics repair or adjustment.

[stevech]

The tech "certificates" like Cisco Certified Network Architect (CCNA) and all the rest seem, to me, when combined with a decent resume and a reference, to be better than an AA from an ITT. I think of ITT as a diploma mill.

In some ( US) industries, without a BS it's hard to get in - you need to know someone who respects you highly and will counter resistance in HR. In defense contracting, there are regulations on certain job titles. But most can be waived with a requisite number of years' experience.

I'd say that today, in most technical fields, a BS is what high school diploma used to mean. An MS is needed for a really good job. It's because it's pretty easy to get a BS from a state school these days. A BS from a top University is still respected. Lots of internship during undergrad work helps a lot - esp. in the interviews when this gives you and the interviewer something to discuss other than coursework.