Need help deciding schools for electronic tech

[flippiff]

Need help deciding schools for electronic tech in New Jersey

Hi all, i am new here and was surfing the web (google) searching for a proper schooling in N.J.

I have a few question's i would love to be answered from real tech's as far as education wise.

First i would love to ask what school should i enroll myself in can it be a trade or college?

What would employer's look at when hiring?

Would it matter if i went to either or?

Let's put for example i was looking at Devry University and Bergen County Community College would it matter if i would let say go to the college rather going to a trade school to get hired quickly?

Would i be wasting my time going to a trade school?

I would love to know about the teachers does Devry really teach or just give you the run around and basically graduate with out knowing anything?

Has anyone here know of anyone getting good positions coming from devry or any technical trades?

I am 32 years old with a class A cdl but i want to do something better with my life rather then just sit behind a wheel and eat fast foods for the rest of my life, and i also hate missing my daughter and wife help a fellow brother out please.

 

[smanches]

First you have to narrow down the field you want to go into. Electronics is a VERY broad subject.

 

[BrownOut]

I've heard that Devry is pretty good as far as trade schools go. I don't have any experience with it, however. College is always a good choice. I don't know anything about your local college, best to do your research.

I think tech school will be more oriented towards "hands on" training, whereas college will help develop a good theoritical background. It's a tough choice. I went the college route, and never regretted it.

 

[flippiff]

Like for example? The Curriculum's they have in college does not specify in fields but more into one matter.

I was thinking of going to school learning the trade then maybe getting into a apprenticeship after the 2 or 3 years or before then.

 

[flippiff]

I read horrible stories about Devry that's why i ask,

Google is your friend lol, if you type in Devry no lie i read countless of forums discouraging them.

I wouldn't want to spend close to $30,000 and not get no where in life

I may have to call them up would rather see what i can get out of this thread and hopefully get some feed backs about the school or any good school's

 

[smanches]

What do you want to do in electronics?

Audio
Power
RF
Digital
And each of those has sub-categories.


What do you want to do in electronics? What do you want to play with?

 

[flippiff]

I would love to do all of them, Not to sound rude is there a problem with that?


I have a open mind to everything i dibbled and dabbled in most of the above without to much experience just using self knowledge or reading about it but this time i want to go to school and learn about it.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Let's put for example i was looking at Devry University and Bergen County Community College would it matter if i would let say go to the college rather going to a trade school to get hired quickly?

Are they plenty of jobs out there?, and if there are? - do they want experienced people and not people just out of education?.

No disrespect, but the number of people posting questions on here in the final year of a degree course who don't have the slightest clue about electronics, would really put me off hiring a recent graduate.

I would much rather hire someone who can do the job, and not someone with a bit of paper that says they spent x years at college.

 

[BrownOut]

Ouch!

Still, I think college is a good choice. Heck, it worked for me. It opened many doors that wouldn't have opened other wise.

 

[flippiff]

Good point Nigel!


I will be getting hands on experience on the side, maybe working with a tech while going to school but im trying to decide what school to go to so i can get my AAS or a accredited degree so i can have open doors

Hands on and education come together in this case, im pretty sure when taking the courses they won't just stick books in your face.. while doing projects that may be implemented during the curriculum.

From what i understand Devry is more hands on just like Brown pointed out and Colleges use more of a theory, but im pretty sure Brown had projects to complete with the theories am i correct?

 

[BrownOut]

im pretty sure Brown had projects to complete with the theories am i correct?

My curriculum was Electrical Engineering. It was intense theory, and some lab work. In Engineering, they expect to get your 'hands on' in the field. But, I think the folks who were in the two year tech program had alot more lab work.

 

[smanches]

I would love to do all of them, Not to sound rude is there a problem with that?

I have a open mind to everything i dibbled and dabbled in most of the above without to much experience just using self knowledge or reading about it but this time i want to go to school and learn about it.

You can do them all, but to get good enough for a job you really need to specialize. It would take your entire life to learn them all to the degree where you would be useful at a company.

It's like saying I want to be an auto mechanic and trying to learn all makes of cars at once. You could do it, but you won't be as good as someone who specializes in much smaller subset.

 

[flippiff]

I understand what you mean smanches.

What field of work do you do?

Maybe later on down the road i will be able to specialize in certain fields.

I guess that is why when your done with schooling or maybe when your even still in school job's like the union or government issued usually have apprenticeship programs to teach you how to fix certain problems but again you have to graduate with a degree to get to that certain aspect.

Ever since i was a kid i would love to fix broken radio's, cb radios, tv's even with the new age computers so i must be gifted in something besides driving trucks for the rest of my life.

 

[Salgat]

I went to community college for my electronics tech degree. Best decision I could have made. I have a technician's degree and now that I transferred to UM (decided to go Computer Engineering) I also have more practical knowledge and experience than many of the other students here.

 

[Mikebits]

Devry is a good school. You will get a well rounded experience and will fit in nicely almost anywhere. Don't concern yourself with specialization, you will get this from your employer. Important thing is a strong foundation which you will get with Devry. Expensive school though, but they do have a good reputation in the industry.

If you want to be an engineer then college is the path to take.

 

[BrownOut]

I agree with Mikebits concerning specialization. Just learn as much as you can about electronics. Laying a good basic groundwork will make it easy to go into any field.

 

[smanches]

I never went to school, and almost didn't graduate high school, so my experience is everything when it comes to getting a job. Maybe that's why I feel specialization is necessary. A specialization also shows you have an interest in something specific. You didn't become an EE just because it paid a lot, or that's what your friends did, or what your parents wanted.

You need to stand out somehow to get noticed. Being "just another kid out of college" makes you the same as everyone else, so why would an employer hire you over another?

I know you're not a kid, but you will be again going to college and then trying to find a job in a new field.