As part of our ongoing series that highlights NHTI alumni, the following blog post is written by Matt Harrison, who graduated with his degree in Architectural Engineering Technology in the Class of 2020.
I am one of the lucky few that loves my career – I work in heavy civil construction (bridges). When I decided to attend NHTI, I already had a career as a union bricklayer and had been pursuing it for 15 years. One of the truths of that type of job is that you have a finite window of productivity, and it grows smaller as you age (and the physical toll of work grows). Knowing this, I had been attempting to transition to a role in construction that required less physically demanding work. Despite my experience in the field, I kept running into the degree roadblock. Companies hiring for positions of interest to me almost always required a technical degree.
Realizing that college was my best option to obtain the position I wanted resulted in some research into schools in my area (central N.H.). I quickly identified the Architectural Engineering Technology program at NHTI as my first choice. The program has an excellent reputation in the industry, a strong faculty, and a dedicated support network of alumni in all of the disciplines relevant to construction. It wasn’t long before I was enrolled at NHTI. The next two years were amazing – challenging, relevant coursework; a diverse and motivated group of fellow students; and an overall excellence I hadn’t expected but definitely appreciated.
Three and a half years after I started at NHTI, my career prospects have changed immensely. My associates degree from NHTI opened more doors than I could have imagined, and the coursework prepared me for my current role as a field engineer. The completion of my bachelor’s degree in project management in the Class of 2022 didn’t hurt either. I would highly recommend NHTI as an option to any student seeking an excellent education grounded in industry relevant subject matter.
