Drafting\CAD
DRAFTING\CAD
Drafting and Computer-Aided-Drafting (CAD) allows an individual to take an idea and transfer it to a drawing. This drawing is to be designed in a manner enabling another worker or workers to physically produce or construct the product.
In todays professional arena, a very high percentage of these drawings are produced on a computer (CAD). There are, however, some situations requiring drawings which are still being drawn with manual drafting tools. If it wasn’t for this profession, products could not be manufactured or built.
The Drafting\CAD program at KACC is designed as a two-year program offered to high school juniors and seniors who attend the Kankakee Area Career Center. Although Drafting/CAD is a two-year program, first-year seniors can enroll.
First-year students will begin with an introduction to manual drafting techniques and computer-aided-drafting (CAD), doing both mechanical and architectural drawings. By the third quarter, students will work on a project designing an actual business site, working with a student from KACC's Business Management/Technology, to compliment their business plan. During the fourth quarter, students work on two projects, a home design and a mechanical assembly project.
Second year students may choose to focus on either mechanical or architectural drafting and will learn three-dimensional drawings and assembly drawings. They will also learn how to properly measure a part and replicate it in a drawing. during their final quarter at KACC, architectural students will design their own home and mechanical students will design a go cart frame.
Students who successfully complete the first year of Drafting/CAD will receive dual credit at KCC for "DRFT1154 - Technical Drafting and Blueprint Reading."
Students who successfully complete the second year of Drafting/CAD will receive dual credit at KCC for "DRFT2114-Computer Aided Drafting I."
THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION
The architectural draftsperson will draw plans involving the construction of residential or commercial structures. The individual will both draw and design. New ideas are always implemented making this profession interesting and intriguing. With an ever-expanding society, structures are being designed built everyday.
What the Future May Bring
When a student does well, the possibility of a rewarding career in drafting is great. Most students who finish the program continue their education at a two or four-year college/university level. There are positions available in the drafting arena for non-college educated students, but with a college education, the student can expect more job opportunities as well as a substantial wage increase.
PROFESSIONAL TITLES
| Drafter | Draftsperson | Landscape Architect | CAD Operator |
| Designer | Civil Engineer | Surveyor | Senior Designer |
PERSONAL QUALITIES
| Ability to perceive details | Ability to visualize objects from pictures |
| Good with numbers | Particularity-attention to details |
| Ability to Work with Others | Creativity |
| Hard-working | Inventiveness |
HELPFUL HIGH SCHOOL COURSES
| Any Math Course | Drafting Class |
| Industrial Tech Classes | Any class to hep one think & reason |
COURSE AREAS
| Floor Plans |
Schedules | Foundation Plans |
| Calculations (Joists, Beams) | Construction Details | Elevations |
| Site Plans | Perspectives | Electrical Plans |
| HVAC Plans | Plumbing Plans | CAD |
