Until recently, Caitlyn Thiel was a Graphic Sign Artist. She worked in a sign shop in Edmonton as a production assistant and did vehicle decal and wrap installations for the shop. When Caitlyn started looking for a way to change careers, she did research to find something that would be the right fit for her. How long would it take to be job-ready? Would the classes be large or small? These were a couple of Caitlyn’s guiding questions.
To find out how Caitlyn found the answers and began her journey on a new career path, keep reading!
Big City, Small Campus
Small class sizes were important to Caitlyn’s search. After enrolling in the engineering design technology program with a specialization in process piping, Caitlyn says she would recommend the program to others based on her experience. The class size and feeling on campus made all the difference, with Caitlyn observing that “it’s a small campus in a big city that makes you feel at ease and not overwhelmed.”
A sense of community was important to Caitlyn
To add to the feeling of community on campus, Caitlyn’s experience with faculty has been positive as well because of “the passion that the teachers have,” and their valuable knowledge. She adds that, “I really felt that the teachers were really understanding and helpful in the aid of me learning the programs and doing projects.”
Caitlyn especially appreciated this atmosphere, saying the small campus lets “the teachers and other members of the faculty to get to know you. They treat you like a person looking to better themselves and not like a number.” Indeed, Digital School staff and faculty maintain this supportive campus to help students feel confident about their choice to make an investment in gaining new credentials.
Just One Year to Begin a Career in Engineering Design Technology
Beyond small classes and teachers who created a sense of belonging in the classroom, Caitlyn was also concerned about time commitments before she enrolled. When she was doing her research, Caitlyn recalls that “I knew that I wanted to get out of the sign industry but could not justify the two years of schooling needed for similar programs at another school.”
The fact that she could finish a program with a process piping specialization in a relatively short length of time was a deciding factor that motivated Caitlyn to take the steps to enroll. When she saw that the program was just one year she said, “I knew that Digital School was the school for me.”
Throughout her courses Caitlyn also noticed how quickly she was learning new things. “It is a very fast paced program but that it one of the things that I like about it,” she notes. With teachers that are there to help transform passion and skills into job qualifications, Caitlyn excelled throughout her studies.
Career Preparation
The ways in which Caitlyn feels prepared for a career in engineering design technology cover many aspects of job-readiness, from support in writing cover letters and resumes to creating a portfolio to “my instructors letting me use them as references,” she says.
“I was able to pick it up very fast and now [feel] very confident with AutoCAD and the 3D designs!” She adds. Through all her training and skill development, Caitlyn realized that “if you are an adult returning to school to relearn some things or even looking into a whole new career, the fact that you are job ready in a year is amazing.” Caitlyn’s sense of accomplishment is clear and quite well deserved!
Are you ready to connect your passion to your future?
Your career awaits.
