The school was founded in 1950 by Harold M. Rabin; it was originally known as the Chicago School of Television Repair, and later as the Electronics Trades Institute. In 1964, the name was changed to Electronics Technical Institute of Illinois; in 1980 the name was changed to Illinois Technical College, reflecting the school's status as a diversified training institution. When Rabin founded ITC, he owned a television repair and service business and employed a number of technicians. However, many of the "trained" technicians he encountered still needed a practical, hands-on course in television service and repair. While training technicians for his own needs, he developed a practical shop-training method which was used in ITC's television-service technician course. Over the years, Illinois Technical College grew from a single-subject vocational school to a multi-course technical college offering an approved associate degree in electro-mechanical computer engineering technology and a variety of courses at various levels of training.
ITC faculty members were selected for their technical skills, on-the-job experience and ability to make the principles of electronics understandable to their students. Each faculty member had an extensive background in electronics and electronic servicing and was an experienced, state-licensed vocational teacher possessing an up-to-date, working knowledge of electronics.
Facilities
Illinois Technical College was located at 506 South Wabash Avenue in downtown Chicago. Class sizes were limited to 20 students per laboratory and 40 students per lecture. All TV-training classrooms and shops were equipped with standard-brand color TVs and radios. These hands-on teaching workshops had a variety of test equipment used to repair televisions and radios, including oscilloscopes, voltmeters and signal generators. Several electronics labs were used to teach analog and digital electronics; these labs were equipped with electronic test equipment such as multiple-trace oscilloscopes, digital voltmeters and microcomputers. Each associate-degree student was given a portable prototyping breadboard system on which to construct electronic circuits. This patented training system was developed by ITC.
Consumer Electronics and Color TV Service Technician
Electronic Drafting Technology Program
Two-semester certificate
Electronics Service Technician
Consumer Electronics Technology
Drafting Technology
Partnership with Roosevelt University
had an arrangement with Illinois Technical College in which students in their undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering Technology would attend Illinois Technical College for their electronics-technology training. The program included courses from Roosevelt's College of Arts and Sciences and the Walter E. Heller College of Business Administration. Students took 56 credit hours of technical training at Illinois Technical College as part of their degree requirement; ITC was located across the street from Roosevelt University.
