Find Your Future Booklet (2014) by TopContentCreator

Find your future

at Ivy Tech Community College Northeast

A career-focused approach to finding the right path to a college education

IvyTech.edu/northeast/future

OK. So you’ve heard the speech countless times: Going to college prepares you for a brighter future. You may have heard it so frequently, in fact, you’ve become a bit of a skeptic. “Well, my brother’s friend’s cousin didn’t go to college, and he seems to be doing well for himself,” you reason. And you may have a point. It is possible to be financially stable and find self-fulfillment in a career without a college education. But what you may not be taking into consideration are the odds of finding that bliss in a world with few guarantees.

Consider some free advice: Job security is rare. More and more jobs today, and especially those being developed for the future, are requiring more than a high school diploma. Numerous research studies support this theme. Related studies illustrate that individuals with a high school diploma or less are three to four times more likely to experience long-term unemployment than their college-educated peers. And they are far more likely to have less disposable income, too. Talk about stumbling at the starting gate.

But perhaps you don’t view your next move as a race. Maybe you’re simply at a crossroads right now. Either way, embrace the following not-sosubtle powers of persuasion: Make certain your next step has your best interests in mind. Make that next step Ivy Tech Community College Northeast. •

A college credential, whether a certificate*, associate degree or higher, provides you with skills security.

•

The in-demand skills learned through a college education make you more marketable and appealing to employers.

•

In addition, the new skills you possess will provide you with a greater sense of freedom to choose what you do and where you do it—as you pursue your career.

Ivy Tech Northeast has more than 40 associate degree programs, and numerous certificate* options, to help get you there. Many of the programs provide a seamless transfer of credits to Indiana’s top-tier four-year colleges and universities. Another point of pride is that the College offers the most affordable tuition and fees in the state. And the teaching faculty work hard to make certain your education is a studentcentered experience.

Put it all together:

With more opportunity comes less worry, so think of college as an investment in yourself and your tomorrows.

Find your future.

Let Ivy Tech Northeast lead the way. *Certificate programs are considered by the U. S. Department of Education to be “Gainful Employment” programs. Information about program length, cost, loan debt, graduates, and related occupations can be found at IvyTech.edu/academics/gainful-employment.html.

Find your future. Take this magazine-style quiz to take the temperature on your interests and what career or degree programs they might lead to at Ivy Tech Community College Northeast. 1. Which activity sounds the most fun? a. Fixing something or planting a garden b. Filing and keeping homework organized c. Planning a Friday night with your group of friends d. Tutoring the girl who sits next to you in English class e. Painting a mural on the gym wall f. Participating in a murder mystery event 2. My friends think it’s weird that I a. Help my dad fix his car on the weekends b. Color coordinate my sock drawer c. Stay after school on Thursdays for Debate Club d. Volunteer at a soup kitchen every weekend e. Love going to the art museum f. Take calculus

3. One of the best feelings in the world is a. Finishing a huge report or project b. Having a neat and tidy bedroom c. Leading a youth group retreat d. Helping my mom take care of my grandmother e. Writing poetry or short stories f. Completing those really long word problems in math class 4. I would seriously dislike a. Going to a party where I don’t know anyone b. Waking up on a Saturday morning and not knowing what I’m doing that day c. Working in a summer job where I have to spend a lot of time filing d. Building a mouse trap car for physics e. Doing the exact same thing every day f. Being a telemarketer

5. My favorite classes in school are a. Shop and woodworking b. Typing and computer c. Speech and political science d. Health and psychology e. English and theater f. Algebra and chemistry 6. My friends tell me I’m a. Down-to-earth b. Kind of picky c. Easy to talk to and outgoing d. Helpful and friendly e. Creative and a little sensitive f. Smart and thoughtful

your results. •

If you answered most questions with “a,” you are likely realistic and may want to pursue a career in Food, Skilled Trades, or STEM.

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If you answered most questions with “b,” you are likely conventional and may want to pursue a career in Managing & Leading Others or Supporting Others.

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If you answered most questions with “c,” you are likely enterprising and may want to pursue a career in Managing & Leading Others or Teaching.

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If you answered most questions with “d,” you are likely social and may want to pursue a career in the Healthcare or Public & Social Services.

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If you answered most questions with “e,” you are likely artistic and may want to pursue a career in Arts & Transfer.

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If you answered most questions with “f,” you are likely investigative and may want to pursue a career in Public & Social Services or STEM.

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Arts & Transfer

 Nina Carter • General Studies Imagine the inherent anxiety for an unwed 19-year-old woman telling her family she’s pregnant. Now ratchet that fear level up a notch: Her parents are the pastor and first lady of a Pentecostal church. For Ivy Tech Northeast graduate Nina Carter, this scenario was her reality. “I remember the emotions that ran through my body as I sat in class, wondering how I was ever going to tell my parents,” Nina says. But her family supported her, and following her daughter’s birth, Nina returned to college with new convictions.

After graduation, she began a nonprofit agency that would assist those at high risk for a limited education, poverty, single parenting, and more. Nina pinned her initiative the Mirror Me Foundation Inc., basing its name from the idea that people can look to themselves and others for qualities worth emulating. “I was blessed to have a great support system,” Nina says. “There are a number of women and girls who have never known that. I want Mirror Me to be that support system—a place where they can find comfort and motivation to be their best ‘them.’”

Annual Five-Year Employment Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Outlook*** General Studies

Complete the broad general education core required with most college degrees

$41–$50K

Average

Liberal Arts

Design a more individualized program of study for transfer to a four-year institution

$41–$50K

Average

Visual Communications

Apply creativity through print communication and websites

$31–$40K

Average

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*Several of Ivy Tech Northeast’s associate degree programs also encompass numerous certificate and technical certificate programs. Visit IvyTech.edu/academics/gainful-employment.html for more details. **Salary range may reflect the earnings potential in a given career field following the completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher. ***Employment outlook data sources: Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, Economic Modeling Specialists International, Occupational Employment Statistics, and American Community Survey.

Food

D ebbie Smith and Sandra Wharton Hospitality Administration When Sandra Wharton talks about the baked goods she makes and sells with Debbie Smith, one detail comes up often. They make pretty cookies and cupcakes. Two of their pretty cookies—the Margarita and Clementine sandwich cookies— showed up in the swag bags at a recent Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards. As stars including daytime talk show celebrities, culinary program personalities, and game show hosts dug through their bags of treats and goodies—jewelry, gift certificates, electronics, and the like—they found a taste of Fort Wayne. For those who were not fortunate enough to attend that particular celebration, don’t worry. It’s still possible to eat like the stars

by visiting Vanilla Bean Unique Cookies & Cupcakes in Fort Wayne—a bakery coowned and operated by Sandra and Debbie. Both women are Ivy Tech Northeast graduates who didn’t meet and start their business until after their graduation. “You learn the basics, and by the time you’re done with the program, if you do a reality check, you will really know if this industry is for you,” Sandra says. The women and their gourmet talents have also been featured on the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.” “It was a wonderful experience,” Debbie says. “It has been a great benefit to our business, no question.”

Annual Five-Year Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Employment Outlook*** Hospitality Administration

Study in culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, event management, hotel management, or restaurant management

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$31–$40K

Average

Healthcare

 Jay Curry • Nursing Jay Curry’s profession is one that presents nonstop peril, as he makes rapid-fire, lifealtering decisions. His fortitude is tested nearly every day while working in a confined space—often traveling at an adrenalinepumping 180 mph in the process. But don’t look to the racetrack to find this Ivy Tech Northeast graduate: Look to the sky. Jay is a highly trained flight nurse. Jay and his colleagues with Parkview Health’s medical flight service respond swiftly to provide 24/7 advanced life support care and rapid transport to trauma, critically ill, cardiac, and neonatal patients. A traumatic event from Jay’s youth is what enticed him to enter into public service.

“I was witness to a horrific accident along a county road when I was in junior high school and remember watching everyone respond,” he recalls. “After taking the EMT (emergency medical technician) class in high school, I was hooked on EMS (emergency medical services) and the ability to help those often having the worst day of their lives.” Parkview Health maintains two aeromedical helicopters, Samaritan I and Samaritan II, which are based in Fort Wayne and Rochester, Ind., respectively. The helicopters are dispatched to serve communities throughout the tri-state, serving a 100-mile radius around each base.

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Annual Five-Year Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Employment Outlook*** Health Information Technology

Oversee patient record content and monitor compliance and regulatory standards

$31–$40K

Average

Healthcare Support

Focus on patient care or as a pharmacy or phlebotomy (blood draw) technician

$30K or less

Much faster than average

Medical Assisting

Perform administrative and clinical skills in the ambulatory setting

$30K or less

Above average

Nursing (Associate of Science)

Provide advanced care to individuals in medical and residential settings

$41–$50K

Above average

Paramedic Science

Function in the pre-hospital setting of emergency medicine

$31–$40K

Above average

Practical Nursing

Offer basic care to individuals in medical and residential settings

$31–$40K

Average

Respiratory Care

Treat a variety of individuals with breathing disorders

$51–$60K

Above average

Therapeutic Massage

Work in healthcare, wellness, and spa facilities to provide therapeutic massage modalities for health and wellness

$30K or less

Much faster than average

*Several of Ivy Tech Northeast’s associate degree programs also encompass numerous certificate and technical certificate programs. Visit IvyTech.edu/academics/gainful-employment.html for more details. **Salary range may reflect the earnings potential in a given career field following the completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher. ***Employment outlook data sources: Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana Department of Workforce Deve_)lopment, U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, Economic Modeling Specialists International, Occupational Employment Statistics, and American Community Survey.

Managing & Leading Others

 Glenda Watkins BUILDING Construction Management In a so-called man’s world, Glenda Watkins can roll with the punches— provided she’s not throwing a few of them herself. As a former boxer, Glenda knows a little about the irony of a hard-knock life, from both literal and figurative perspectives. She began flipping rooms and houses in her early 20s—long before the practice gained mass appeal on HGTV and TLC. And while Glenda says she lacked the formal knowledge of contracting work in those formative years, she prided herself on her willingness to learn from mistakes. Following a chance meeting with a boxing scout, she went on to a successful six-year career in the contact sport, where, upon

retirement, she ranked 10th in the U.S. women’s boxing lightweight division. And after two consecutive job layoffs at area foundries, Glenda enrolled at Ivy Tech Northeast to better align her career satisfaction and financial independence by embracing her first love—the maledominant field of construction, with the desire to focus on the management side. “Being a woman, I have to be on top of things,” Glenda says. “You can’t go into a job half-stepping. Others will put roadblocks in your path to see if you know what you’re doing. And in the end, experience speaks for itself.”

Annual Five-Year Employment Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Outlook*** Accounting

Work with numbers in the language of business $30K or less

Building Construction Management

Oversee residential, commercial, or industrial construction projects

$41–$50K

Above average

Business Administration

Start a business or lead a nonprofit or government agency

$31–$40K

Average

Supply Chain Management/Logistics

Coordinate the shipping and distribution of goods and materials

$31–$40K

Above average

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Average

Public & Social Services  Ruth Davis • Human Services When Ivy Tech Northeast Assistant Professor Ruth Davis isn’t busy explaining the virtues and challenges with a career in human services, she’s likely to be found in the doghouse—quite literally. Animal advocates come in no greater stature than Ruth, a licensed clinical social worker and a strong proponent for canine companionship. During the past five years, she has worked with more than 40 foster dogs, specializing in those that are socially injured. She rescued Piper, one of her own dogs, from a shelter. Piper has specialized training as a therapy dog, and together they have logged approximately 500 service hours in seven

years with individuals who appreciate the human–animal interaction. Each Thursday, Ruth and Piper attend the Allen County Public Library’s Pontiac branch to volunteer for the “Paws to Read” literacy program, where children practice their reading skills with Piper, their quiet cheerleader. And every other Saturday morning, the duo conducts local social visits with patients at Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home. “Piper once went up to a man in hospice care and got his nose under the man’s hand that was resting on the arm of the chair. The man leaned forward and almost cried, saying, ‘I needed this so much,’” Ruth says. “It’s so touching to share this great dog with other people.”

Annual Five-Year Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Employment Outlook*** Criminal Justice

Service in corrections, forensics (investigations), law enforcement, or youth services

$41–$50K

Average

Human Services

Assist a variety of clients with their psychosocial goals

$31–$40K

Much faster than average

Public Safety

Serve in emergency management, environmental health, or fire science

$41–$50K

Average

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*Several of Ivy Tech Northeast’s associate degree programs also encompass numerous certificate and technical certificate programs. Visit IvyTech.edu/academics/gainful-employment. html for more details. **Salary range may reflect the earnings potential in a given career field following the completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher. ***Employment outlook data sources: Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, Economic Modeling Specialists International, Occupational Employment Statistics, and American Community Survey.

Skilled TRADES

 Jeff Greer • Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning If Jeff Greer’s vocation had proven to be a bust for him, he could’ve blamed his oldest sister, Carole—and for good reason. She selected it for him. Matching Jeff with Ivy Tech’s associate degree in HVAC wasn’t meddlesome interference on her part; it was an expression of love and goodwill to help him find a satisfying career. “Carole told me to do something meaningful with my life,” says Jeff, who was laid off from his post-high school construction job with a now-defunct mobile home manufacturer. The brother and sister duo travelled to Fort Wayne from their LaGrange, Ind., home to review a roster of academic programs at Ivy Tech Northeast, where they somewhat randomly determined his fate.

Jeff appears to have had few, if any, regrets with his career decision. After a period of working for others, Jeff purchased a van and became an independent contractor from his home, launching Preferred Maintenance and knocking on the doors of potential customers. “I knew I’d succeed as long as I was fair and honest,” he says. “I think people appreciate that more than anything.” Today, his brick-and-mortar HVAC business has relocated to Angola, Ind., where it caters to corporate and residential customers within a 100-mile radius.

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Annual Five-Year Employment Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Outlook*** Advanced Manufacturing

Apply technical and automation skills in manufacturing environments

$51–$60K

Average

Automotive Technology

Learn how to diagnose and repair today’s high-tech vehicles

$51–$60K

Above average

Construction Technology

Acquire the skills for new construction, remodeling, renovation, and repair work

$31–$40K

Above average

Design Technology

Use software to render computer-aided design and graphics projects $41–$50K

Heating, Ventilation, Design, service, or install equipment in residential and Air Conditioning and commercial settings $31–$40K Technology (HVAC)

Average Much faster than average

Industrial Technology

Program and repair technologies that create industrial and consumer products

$41–$50K

Above average

Machine Tool Technology

Learn metal cutting operations to create specialized molds, dies, and prototypes

$31–$40K

Above average

$51–$60K

Above average

Manufacturing Production and Serve as a skilled machine operator or manager Operations

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)  Scott Dudick • Computer Information Systems Scott Dudick was a C student. It wasn’t for a lack of intelligence. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to learn. He just learned differently. Having been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD at a young age, Scott always found public school to be a “struggle.” Fast forward 10 years. Scott has become the chief information security officer for the Louisville (Ky.) Metro Government, where he manages the information security department and leads information security investigations.

were key to my success.” Scott says the College helped him in several important ways: Disability Support Services provided additional assistance and support. His classes used the applied learning approach of hearing, seeing, writing, and doing. And furthermore, he benefitted from the College’s easy pace, small class sizes, and modern lab equipment. Scott says the greatest impact was made by instructors going the extra mile—one instructor in particular.

Now Ivy Tech Northeast’s 2013 Distinguished Alumnus, Scott credits his alma mater for his impressive turnaround.

“(Program Chair) John Knight challenged me to go beyond my skill sets to that next tier in learning,” Scott says. “That adaptiveness in a professor was essential for me.”

“I needed a different style of learning than that of a traditional university,” Scott says. “Ivy Tech offered a road map and an approach of both practice and theory that

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Annual Five-Year Employment Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Outlook*** Agriculture

Pursue farming, research, technician, or sales positions

$51–$60K

Above average

Aviation Maintenance Technology

Perform maintenance, inspection, and repair on civilian aircraft

$51–$60K

Slower than average

Computer Information Systems

Develop, test, implement, and maintain programming and data structures

$51–$60K

Above average

Computer Information Technology

Focus on network administration or personal computer support and administration

$51–$60K

Above average

Computer Science

Combine math, science, and problem solving to advance the work computers do $51–$60K

Above average

Energy Technology

Study renewable and sustainable energy source technologies

$51–$60K

Above average

Engineering Technology

Work with engineers to design, implement, and support new technologies

$70K +

Average

Information Security

Focus on network security to prevent online data theft and deviant activity

$51–$60K

Above average

Pre-Engineering

Begin studies toward electrical, mechanical, civil, or computer engineering careers

$70K +

Average

Supporting Others  Gulya Alexander • Office Administration When it comes to customer service, the ongoing challenge is developing mutually satisfying relationships, sometimes referred to as achieving the “feel-good factor.” Ivy Tech Northeast graduate Gulya Alexander sets that tone for the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, as the regional small business incubator’s operations manager. Her career responsibilities are broad, from conducting tours and assuming ownership for client concerns to revamping administrative procedures for improved efficiencies and leading formal orientations for new staff and clients. Gulya’s duties require great discipline and multitasking. Nevertheless, she is well prepared for the challenges, having grown

accustomed to moving beyond what’s comfortable and familiar. Gulya was born and raised in the Middle Asian country of Uzbekistan. She met her husband, Rusty, in Kiev, Ukraine, where he was serving as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer. After completing his three-year service residency, the young family returned to the United States with their daughter. Following the family’s relocation to Fort Wayne, it wasn’t long before Gulya enrolled at Ivy Tech Northeast and applied a strong academic commitment to her career goals. “Ivy Tech gives everyone attention, respect, and encouragement,” she says. “The faculty and staff are very friendly and remember you by name; I was never treated like a number.”

Annual Five-Year Employment Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Outlook*** Library Technical Assistant

Develop skills in library operations services

$30K or less

Average

Office Administration

Combine software and organizational skills to manage office environments

$31–$40K

Above Average

Paralegal Studies

Assist attorneys with legal research and communications

$31–$40K Average

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*Several of Ivy Tech Northeast’s associate degree programs also encompass numerous certificate and technical certificate programs. Visit IvyTech.edu/academics/gainfulemployment.html for more details. **Salary range may reflect the earnings potential in a given career field following the completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher. ***Employment outlook data sources: Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, Economic Modeling Specialists International, Occupational Employment Statistics, and American Community Survey.

Teaching  Cindy Joley • Early Childhood Education Ivy Tech Northeast can now lay claim to its very own rising star in the Land of the Rising Sun.

the American children being military dependents and many of them having one Japanese parent.

Cindy Joley is a graduate of the College who relocated to Japan when her husband, Dan, accepted a position as a U.S. history teacher and head football coach at the American high school on Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka.

Fortunately, there is a silver lining to the language and cultural challenges Cindy experiences, or perhaps a silver-lined education planner, to be more precise.

Cindy herself landed a teaching position, but at the other end of the education spectrum: preschool. Her employer, Hayama International School, provides primary school instruction in English for students from age 2 until third grade. The student body is about evenly split between Americans and Japanese, with most of

“The principal of the school was very impressed by my teaching portfolio,” Cindy says. “Many of my classes at Ivy Tech required me to create ‘teacherready’ activities. I am so glad I have had that experience because I can’t just drive to the local teacher supply store for materials. All of the supplies and books are in Japanese.”

Annual Five-Year Employment Degree* The Low-Down Salary** Outlook*** Early Childhood Education

Focus on early-childhood growth and development in daycare and school settings

$31–$40K

Average

Education

Develop teaching assistant or elementary school teacher credentials

$41–$50K

Average

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