Pittsburgh Technical Institute

Date: Aug 12 2014
Major: Art & Design Department (This Major's Salary over time)
The Pittsburgh Technical Institute just like any other colleges out there have their pro's and con's. During my first year at the Pittsburgh Technical Institute I learned the basics of the Adobe Creative Suite programs and getting familiarized with design theory for advertising and some basic web design theory as well, all taught by instructors who have had many years in the industry.

During my second year at PTI I had to make a decision whether I wanted to go into the web design/developing program in which you would learn CSS, HTML, Flash, etc. or the multimedia program which consisted of learning video production, lighting, 2-D animation (motion graphics), 3D animation/ building and rendering, etc.
I had chosen to go into the multimedia program in which I had learned dozens of things everything from video production, lighting, how to operate professional grade cameras, and the list goes on from there. Once I had learned the basics of the programs I began to find my strengths and weaknesses. I found that I was strong at 3-D animation/design and rendering and weakness in audio production.

Throughout my time of learning the 3-D animation and design by learning online tutorials and what the instructors had taught. I had later on started staying after school and really working on my own projects after completing the ones that had been assigned to me by my instructors. I had decided to go the extra mile and push myself to work harder and design a portfolio that would be visually appealing to an audience and/or potentially a future employer.

A few months later I had started my internship and which PTI's career services place you somewhere, which I was looking forward to. Little did I know the place where I would be interning at was dreadful. (For Legal Purposes I will not use employee names or businesses names, to prevent harm). The individual who I was interning with and had to report to had no form of design theory, ethical business practice and performance & above all no respect for me what-so-ever. I had worked hard and tried to help the individual as best as I could. I had even tried to share my ideas with him but he had refused to hear them out of what I believe was some selfishness and closed minded-thinking. I had even tried to build good rapport with the individual as well but still had a negative attitude. It seriously felt like a hostile work environment. I stuck it out for a couple of months longer and became more thick skinned and biting the bullet even harder then before but I finally had reached a breaking point in which I said that I had enough. I had reported to PTI's career service department and had informed them of what was going on and if I could be placed elsewhere. The individual was more then helpful and placed me in a much more safer and adaptable environment where I was able to share my input/ideas and be able to build an excellent customer base for the company.

Before I knew it my internship was over and I had built a better portfolio then I had before. Towards the end and prior to graduation from PTI the media/web/graphic design dept. hold a portfolio show for upcoming graduates. In which some professionals in the industry will stop by and view some of the students work, along with the students relatives and parents. I received some compliments and business cards from those in the industry and later on they hold an award show for those who they think have the best work/portfolio.
As the days drew closer Graduation was finally there. Which was held at the Soldiers and Sailors Hall in Oakland, PA. I walked across the stage I received my letter and later on my degree.

After graduation I began looking for a job/career as a 3-D artist and designer. I had two interviews which were also unprofessional and had found from an internet source. The first one starting out in a run down building attached to a shady-looking gas station. I had walked into the building and was greeted by an individual who had a cigarette in his hand. We had sat down and started talking. The individual then proceeded to ask the question "What the fuck is PTI?" and I had explained to him what it was. The individual then proceeded to tell me that I didn't even need a degree to get a job in this type of industry. After answering all of the individuals questions he then asked me "Would you come work for me? I will start you out at $17.00 per hour." I had refused his offer right on the spot. A few weeks later I applied for another position that I had found from another internet source and received a call back for an interview. I was really looking forward to it too! I arrived at the location and met with the individual. He began to tell me about the position available but it was completely irrelevant from what the online job post was advertised. The individual informed me that it was for a sales position and that I would have to move up in the company in order to do what I had studied for. I bit my tongue and proceeded to answer the individuals questions during the interview. At one point I had complimented him on his tattoo which was on his knuckles… just to build good rapport with him and he responded by saying "Oh I hate it! it makes me just want to pick up a baby and start shaking it" while raising his arms and acting like he was. I immediately got up and walked out of the business.

I had contacted PTI career services over multiple times to see if they could assist in helping me find a job/career related to 3-D design but didn't receive the assistance that I should have. I did my part and they did there's which seemed like nothing at the time. Later on I managed to find a full time job working in a different industry and making enough money to just get by and now recently became unemployed due to a lay-off.
A lot of close friends of mine from major universities who also majored in what I did had received great assistance from their colleges career services department so why should PTI's be any different?

I was a graduate from The Pittsburgh Technical Institute. I had high goals set for myself and consistently worked hard on all of my projects so I could build a visually appealing portfolio that would have helped place me in a good career/job setting enjoying what I had studied and practiced. It was a total and complete shame that I did not receive any additional assistance what-so-ever after graduation.

The social life at PTI is among different compared to traditional colleges and universities. It consists of a lot of students that come from lower income and middle class families. A majority of the students there are obsessed with anime & you have a minimal amount of the potheads (burnouts). Just be careful of those who you hang around and who will bring you up and bring you down.

My biggest advice to the college/facility/staff is start focusing more upon the industry and what industry standards require and more importantly the students careers and giving them a bit of a push and I don't mean push them under the rug. A lot of you instructors who were in the industry still network and keep in contact with certain employers. Help these students network rather then blowing them off and pushing them under the rug. I would also advise higher superiority to look into fraternizing that goes on & why certain instructors find it appropriate to take female students out to dinner one on one in areas downtown. This is not a dating service. It's supposed to be a professional private institution solely for educational purposes. Not throwing anyone under the bus but I'm just throwing it out there.