I went and enrolled for my associates degree in drafting and design today at ITT Tech... this is going to put a strain on the family and life in general, but it's a gateway into a new career path and a college degree... this is scary and exciting, I haven't been in school for 20 years and I feel like I'm starting over at 38, but I know it's a good thing.
First of all, congratulations on making a positive change in your life! This career field is definitely worth it.
That said:
Have you officially enrolled? Is it too late to change your mind or pull out?
The reason I ask is simple:
Being in the same industry for the past ten years (I got my associates degree in the same field in 2004, but have been actually working in the field since 2003), I've found that Drafting/Design graduates from ITT Tech tend to have a less rounded educational experience than others and seem less prepared for the jobs available, almost as if their education was almost, but not quite, complete.
I myself had planned to go to ITT Tech, but between the expense (right now, the average is around a whopping $500 per credit hour) and the distance to the campus, I opted for a more local community college.
This turned out to be a very smart move because in addition to getting a degree from an actual college (in this field, they go further than those from technical institutes) and actually getting a more rounded education, the community college was substantially cheaper (my entire two-year education was around $6000 for tuition and fees and some extra for books and supplies), much closer, had a better schedule, and had better options for financial aid.
Another issue is transferability. Let's say you get your degree from ITT Tech and later on down the road you decide to pursue a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering. Guess what? All your credits from ITT will most likely not transfer anywhere other than another ITT Tech campus.
The place is essentially the first "diploma mill" (places like the University of Phoenix... don't get me started on this one... a degree from that place is worth less than the poop on it after you wipe yourself after a long weekend of eating Spaghetti-O's and laxatives, but I digress). They give you an education, yes, but they charge you out the wazoo and you can't continue that education anywhere other than ITT Tech. I won't outright say it's a scam, because they do provide a decent education in some cases, but I do question their practices.
Before you decide to go to ITT Tech (or pursue a degree in Drafting/Design from any college), you need to make sure of one thing. This is something I stress very much and highly believe in. The degree program must offer at least one semester of Manual Drafting, where you sit at a drafting table and physically draw out plans preferably, it would be offered either before or at the same time as your first CAD class). The reason I stress this is manual drafting classes force you to consider aesthetics, placement, and visualization of what you are drawing. This translates well into CAD work as well, as that mindset of considering not only what to draw, but how, why, and where, will make you a better designer.
Another course I strongly recommend every degree program have is a 3D drafting course, whether it be Revit, Inventor, Smartplant, or whatever. Many companies are utilizing 3D in their every day lives, and people who know 3D can expect to get paid substantially more than someone who just knows 2D Drafting (at least here in Houston).
Speaking of which, Houston (and Texas in general, but more specifically Houston) is where you want to be for Drafting/Design:
1) There are hundreds of engineering firms (including some worldwide HQs).
2) The pay is awesome (for example, I got offered a job in Florida at $20/hour and they said it was great money. I currently make $35/hour in Houston w/10 years experience and I'm considered to be underpaid... $40-$50/hour is more along the lines of what I should be paid based on experience and skills... and many people who do 3D work get paid $90/hour or more).
3) The cost of living is pretty low for a city this size.
4) The housing market is better than most of the country.
Basically, the best advice I can give you is to skip ITT Tech and go for a cheaper community college. You will get an education that is as good, if not better, than ITT for much cheaper and you will have opportunities to further your education with much less hassle in the future.
Disclaimer: I am in no way saying that you should give up on an education. I just wanted to make sure that you are aware of all the facts regarding ITT Tech before completely committing.
