“I want to be an engineer.”
“I want to be an architect.”
“I want to design things.”
“I want to draw on the computer.”
If these statements sound familiar, the Computer-Aided Drafting and Design (CAD) Program at Kellogg Community College may be the place for you.
CAD is the process of using computer software to create drawings or models that define a given product before it is ready to be manufactured. The CAD Program at KCC emphasizes hands-on experience and utilizes state-of-the-art technology to prepare students for a 21st century CAD career.
For many KCC students, the first step toward a CAD career is the class DRAF 101: Engineering Graphics. This is the first class required to earn KCC’s Associate in Applied Science degree in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Technology, and is also a common requirement for many engineering, architecture and design school curriculums.
There are two sections of DRAF 101 offered this semester:
- DRAF 101-01, 8:30 to 11:20 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, Jan. 20 through May 10
- DRAF 101-02, 6 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 26 through April 22
Both sections of the class begin online but will transition to in-person instruction as allowed by the College as early as Feb. 1, with classes held in the CAD Lab in Room 204 of the Ohm Information Technology Center on the North Avenue campus in Battle Creek.
Why take DRAF 101 at KCC this semester? According to CAD professor Doug Mann:
- It offers hands-on experience: Most CAD class time at KCC is spent making drawings and models, as the program believes a hands-on approach is important, Mann said. At KCC, students use two of the most popular CAD software programs in the industry, AutoCAD and SolidWorks, and students are provided with free software to work on assignments off campus.
- Students work in a state-of-the-art CAD Lab: When in-person instruction resumes Feb. 1, CAD students will work in the College’s 1000-plus-square-foot CAD Lab incorporating the latest and greatest CAD technology, including more than two dozen state-of-the-art, dual-monitor computer stations equipped with the latest industry software. Students will also have the opportunity to utilize the CAD Lab’s 3D printer to see their drawings come to life.
- It fulfills degree requirements: DRAF 101 fulfills one of the two class requirements from the Critical Thinking category of General Education/Applied Core classes required to earn an associate degree at KCC.
- It transfers: DRAF 101 transfers to more than two dozen colleges and universities in Michigan, including Western Michigan University, the top transfer destination for KCC students.
Click here for a list of colleges and universities in Michigan DRAF 101 will transfer to.
CAD students at KCC also have the opportunity to join KCC’s Tech Club, Societus Technica, the oldest student organization on campus. The club is open to any KCC student with an interest in science and technology professions, and participates in several events and initiatives each year, including an annual pumpkin carving fundraiser each fall and a major architectural trip each spring.
Mann said DRAF 101 is a particularly good choice of classes for students who know they’ll be attending KCC but aren’t yet sure what they want for a major.
“These students should consider Engineering Graphics as a starting point as they investigate the many career options requiring the ability to generate engineering or architectural drawings and models,” Mann said. “Most employers require at least an associate degree for entry-level applicants.”
The CAD Program at KCC educates students to be employed, to transfer to a four-year school like Ferris State University to earn a degree in Product Design Engineering Technology (a popular choice for transfer students), or to do both at the same time, Mann said.
“Computer-aided drafting and design is an exciting career area and is more hands-on than traditional engineering programs that have become very theory-oriented,” he said. “This is an exciting time in the field of drafting and design.”
Click here to view our program map outlining all required courses for the CAD degree at KCC. For more information about the CAD Program at KCC, visit www.kellogg.edu/cad or contact CAD professor Doug Mann at mannd@kellogg.edu.
For general information about signing up for spring semester classes, the first of which begin Jan. 19, visit www.kellogg.edu/registration.