Fort Hays State University logo
TigerCentraltiger paw  | TigerTracks tiger paw

    What's Possible with a Degree from the

    Institute of Applied Technology? 

    The FHSU Institute of Applied Technology offers a thorough learning experience that allows each student to excel in the field of their choice. The three dominant areas that graduates enter are construction, manufacturing and communication. By acquiring extensive knowledge in each of these fields, students quickly obtain supervisory and leadership positions after graduation. The internship program is crucial, as it exposes students to every aspect of the business and industry operations process. A high percentage of students take on careers in industry, while a number move on to educational roles in middle and high schools. Graduates from this program have even adapted to engineering careers thanks to the application of science and math in industry settings. 

    Possible Careers

    • Energy Conservation Managers
    • Technology Instructors
    • Robotics/Automated Systems Designer
    • General Construction Contractors
    • Industrial Supervisors
    • Carpenter/Cabinetmakers
    • Construction Estimators
     
    • Land Development Technicians
    • Manufacturing Plant Managers
    • Geographic Systems Technicians
    • Building Inspectors
    • Construction Project Managers
    • Machine/CNC Technicians
    • Production and Operations Manager
     

    FHSU Applied Technology Graduates Testimonials

     

     Brent J. Bieker (2007)
    Career Building Systems Technician
    GE Johnson Construction Company
    Aurora, CO
    I work on commercial buildings such as condominiums, hospitals, schools, and high rise buildings. My responsibilities involve troubleshooting and coordinating Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems against Architectural and Structural disciplines. I model the architectural and structural parts of buildings in 3D using Revit in a practice called (BIM) Building Information Modeling. I also help to create concrete lift drawings. My academic experience helped me by laying a basic the foundation for what I am doing and helped me to understand buildings and drafting principles which I use every day. It provided me with enough knowledge to get started and to continually learn. I took part in an internship at GE Johnson Construction and was hired full time. I was a member of the National Honor Society for Collegiate Scholars at FHSU. By the time I completed my internship I had learned the basics of Modeling building structures and understanding how the systems inside them work. Without the internship I would have missed out on this opportunity, and trying to get a job would have been more difficult. Because of the internship I was able to learn on the job for an entire summer.

    Jace Stewart (2007)
    Drafting Technology Instructor
    Eudora School District
    Olathe, KS
    I am working for the Eudora School District in both the middle school and the high school in Kansas. At the middle school level, I teach Explorations in Technology, which is a module-based class that provides students with hands-on learning opportunities in the field of technology. At the high school level, I am the drafting technology teacher. I also am the head boys’ middle school track coach and an assistant football coach. The student teaching internship and sports – football in particular – that I took part in at FHSU gave me the skills and experience I needed to take on leadership roles as both a coach and a teacher.