Tech Degree/Career as Lib. Art Major? How do I get in the Door and What Door do I get in?

Art Major, math is not my strong suit. Content creation is a big part of game development. Consider building some skills in 2D (photoshop, illustrator) and 3D (lightwave, 3d studio, whatever the kids use these days) design.

To clarify: I have graduated and already gotten my Liberal Arts Degree. I received it from CSU in Fort Collins Colorado.

I know you're asking about the IT end of the spectrum but since you said you were considering law school, and speaking as a guy currently there (and one who used to work as a database and network admin)... ...if you're seeking a 9-5 type job, law school's probably not the right choice, in the end. The system is pretty well rigged so that you graduate with enough debt (up to and over $100k) that you take the highest paying job (with concomitant demands on your time and sanity) just in order to service those payments. Or at least, that's the track 90%+ percent of the people I know here are on. Other than that, law does fit some of your criteria (#2 and 3 in particular, though employment prospects of course depend on how well you do in law school / where you go, unfortunately.) It'll allow you to be "creative" in a sense (think up the most effective arguments you can) -- but in many cases, doesn't have that much personal contact (certainly not with clients in the early years, if you go the private practice route to settle some debt.) I don't regret my decision at all, but I wish I had been a bit better informed about the aftermath before making the jump to law school. As far as my time wearing admin hats / black t-shirts, well, I was a political science major in undergrad (albeit one with some tech skills), and I survived fine in the roles after I serendipitously assumed 'em. There's creativity and ingenuity required, and if you've got good interpersonal skills, the job's that much easier. I'm a believer that formalism / degrees aren't the only way to move forward (though, admittedly, education has to come from somewhere.) I'd be wary of the quickie vocational programs guaranteeing employment at the end in CS/tech fields, though -- not all are shady, but many just take your loan money and toss you out the door at the end. (Career help? Bah!) I have few HS friends who made that mistake. ...so there's my .02 and a little backstory. Good luck.

Just browsing through http://curred.waketech.edu/listing.php the obvious programs that fit your criteria including the "green" aspect might be some of the engineering tech programs like Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Sciece Technology, or Landscape Architecture Technology. There are tons of environmental consulting firms in the Triangle area that I imagine use CAD techs from programs like this. You might want to look at the News & Observer classifieds to get some ideas. You did see that they have a Digital Gaming Technology program, right? So if you want to go in that direction, you could probably just go. While not overly familiar with Wake Tech, I know that community colleges in NC in general are great and are very focused on adult education and job placement. It might not hurt to apply and then talk to your counselor about which programs might be best for you when you go to register for classes.

i don't think the world needs more lawyers. or necessarily more it/tech people (which i don't consider blue collar). the world does, or will very soon as folks retire, need more plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc. over the past 10ish years i've often found myself thinking i should have gone to a vo-tech instead of pursuing the "white collar" path i took. i'd have more job security and i'd probably be making more money.

I gotta say, as a group, machinists seem like a mighty content, well compensated group. their work is challenging, requires lots of problem solving, is all hands on, and can involve all sorts of cool equipment and creations.

How about accounting schools? They have master's programs for non-accounting majors now that will prepare you to sit for the CPA exam. Or a HVAC specialist? Maybe go to the technical college's career center and ask them?

If you like computers and want a desk job, look into building information management (BIM). It's the next wave of representing all of the parts of a building on a PC. It takes the architectural, mechanical and other systems and models them for hypothetical purposes, building management (like HVAC/mechanical) and other reasons. Any technical college's drafting or construction technology program should be able to help you there. I work for a non-profit that promotes jobs in the architecture, construction and engineering to high school and college students. The opportunities are amazing. You can graduate from high school, be a lineman for the electric company and make upwards of $100k/year with overtime. Now, not everyone wants to climb up and down poles all day. There are other opportunities. Even if you don't want to get dirty, you can still work as an estimator or project manager for a construction firm. There are real opportunities to work all over the world. Construction is a booming industry and in the US there are not enough qualified applicants to fill the jobs that are coming up due to baby boomers retiring. And the focus on green building is also driving jobs. Safety is another good field to get into to, especially if you like technicalities. Go to work for OSHA and you've got a good career, but everyone on a job site will hate you. :)