Mechanical Design and Drafting/CAD - Moraine Valley Community College

Mechanical Design and Drafting/CAD from Moraine Valley Community College is a Campus Associate Mechanical Engineering degree that prepares you for a Engineering career. In Moraine Valley Community College\'s Mechanical Design and Drafting Program, you will gain in-depth knowledge and experience in mechanical design and drafting. You will work with state-of-the-art computer and graphics software. Upon completion, you will be prepared for a career as a professional drafter, mechanical designer or computer-aided design (CAD) technician. Today\'s designers/drafters and CAD technicians work in various businesses and industries. They prepare engineering drawings-including CAD drawings, parts lists, diagrams and related documents from layouts, sketches, notes, as well as executing detail drawings. Design professionals must perform algebraic and trigonometric calculations in graphic analysis and understand business and shop practices. Moraine Valley\'s CAD laboratory has the most modern equipment available, with state-of-the-art computers and CAD software. Much of your class time will be spent working on the computers, so you gain valuable hands-on experience to be well-prepared for a career in mechanical engineering design. Moraine Valley also is a Premier Authorized Training Center for Autodesk, a software leader in the CAD industry. Recent high school graduates may be eligible for college credit for selected vocational skills courses completed in high school. This program may be used for immediate employment or can be used toward a four year bachelors degree in engineering. If you are considering transferring to a four-year college or university to obtain a bachelor\'s degree using the courses from this program, make an appointment with the program coordinator or academic advisor to review your options. Employment Outlook? Employment of drafters is expected to increase 3 to 9 percent for all occupations through 2012. Industrial growth and increasingly complex design problems associated with new products and manufacturing processes will increase the demand for drafting services. Further, drafters are beginning to break out of the traditional drafting role and increasingly do work traditionally performed by engineers and architects, thus also increasing demand for drafters. Nature of Work? The types of businesses that employ CAD drafters and designers are diverse and wide-ranging. They include architectural and mechanical design firms, engineering firms (civil, mechanical, etc.), graphic arts firms, construction companies, product design companies and manufacturing companies. Daily activities can range from computer drafting to 3-D design, depending on the skill level of the worker and type of work being performed. There are different stages in the design process, and the associate\\\'s degree graduate will be prepared to assist the engineering team in each and every phase. These stages can include the initial design and graphical prototyping, computer simulation, computer drafting, revision and production/manufacturing preparation. Related Job Title? Drafter, detailer, CAD operator, CAD technician, mechanical design technician, layout designer, lab technician. View more details on Moraine Valley Community College . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Mechanical Engineering courses.