As an alumnus of Triangle Tech Greensburg, it makes me sad to see the place close. I have some great memories quirky memories of the place. The elevator would flood every time it rained, we had hand drafting classes because they didn’t have enough computers, a kid from another term fell through an interior partition because the studs were like 3’ o.c., and even in the early 2000s we had a half of semester where we didn’t have an instructor. The building was beat 20 some years ago. That being said, the staff was great, I did learn a lot, and Triangle Tech gave me my start. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people and do a lot of different jobs related to my ArchCAD degree. Triangle Tech was part of my journey, the first stepping stone, I’ll always be grateful for that. That being said, with the rise of community colleges and technical high schools there probably are more viable options these days. The world changes, and you either adapt or you get left behind. Today, I’m Regional Design Manager for 84 Lumber’s Mid-Atlantic Component Division, thanks in part to my training at Triangle Tech. I currently have the privilege of supporting 4 design departments and over 30 designers and trainees. At 84 we are a growing business, so I do a lot of interviewing every year to find trainees and experienced designers alike. In fact, right now I’m actively trying to recruit an in-house trainee position at our Winchester VA facility. For all you Triangle Tech students out there displaced by this, don’t lose heart, there are a lot of opportunities out there with good companies looking for talented/ driven individuals, and are willing to train you on the job. I might be selfishly plugging my own company, but there are a lot of other good companies and positions out there. When I interview for trainees, sure I love to see candidates with a Tech School or Community College degree, but if you had some CAD classes in high school or vocation / technical high school you would still be considered. The best kept non-secret is we chose the best applicant for each position, but you have to apply to be considered. Use your networking skills reach out to Alumni on LinkedIn, or other social media sources, and get your name out there. 84 and most larger companies have tons of open training positions. Be willing to start at the bottom and work up, you’ll get there. You are in a better position than you think, with an aging/shrinking US population all of us big employers are competing for talent. We desperately need you, young eager workers. You are our future too.
News Anchor/Sports Director at WTAE-TV Pittsburgh. Using this page to share stories of interest to the Pittsburgh regional business community.
Triangle Tech is headquartered in Pittsburgh. The school also has locations in Greensburg, DuBois, Sunbury, Bethlehem and Chambersburg.