North Idaho College

Whether they’re creating blueprints for a skyscraper or designing parts of a car, computer aided design (CAD) technicians and mechanical design technicians are the intermediates between the architects and the construction professionals who will build them in the real world. A new career in this field could start at North Idaho College.

The Architectural and Mechanical Computer Aided Design Technology programs are two of several NIC programs that will soon have a new home in the Career and Technical Education Facility in Rathdrum. Programs slated to move are scattered among current regional facilities on and off campus; the new facility will bring them together.

The facility will be constructed with $15 million in capital reserve funds set aside by the NIC Board of Trustees, without raising taxes. A capital campaign is underway to raise another $5 million to pay for equipment, scholarships and the funding necessary to sustain equipment needs. Construction is projected to be completed next summer, in time for the start of the fall semester in 2016.

Because the new CTE facility will neighbor the Kootenai Technical Education (KTEC) Campus, instructor Mike Bennett expects more dual-enrolled high school students to enroll in the program. Many of his current students graduated from local high schools; in the near future, they’ll be able to get a jump-start on studying CAD at NIC.

“Students who have an interest in it will now have the opportunity to take the classes…. and get college credit,” Bennett said.

Upon completing the program, graduates will be qualified for entry-level CAD technician positions. CAD technicians can work in a variety of jobs, such as for home design companies, in bath and kitchen construction at companies like Home Depot, and in architectural firms looking for entry-level employees.

The mechanical design program, which prepares students to become mechanical design technologists, is taught by Curt Booth.

“Our students have to be multi-skilled in order to be competitive,” Booth says. “They have to wear many hats. The technology is more sophisticated.”

Among other skills, Booth’s students learn 3D printing and rapid prototyping. In fact, Booth’s curriculum has included 3D printing for 14 years; he says that North Idaho College was the first technical school in the area to have access to that technology at the time.

One area where 3D printing is making a difference is in the world of prosthetic devices. Prostheses are expensive to replace, and children tend to outgrow them quickly, multiplying the cost. Some of Booth’s students are designing prosthetics for children that can be fabricated using a 3D printer, which could dramatically decrease the cost of the devices. It’s not part of the curriculum; it’s a project that Booth’s students have taken on in their own time.

Booth says there is more demand for mechanical design technologists than ever, and employment opportunities are increasing in the area. The skill sets are also transferable, if students want to continue their education at a four-year school — say, to study mechanical engineering or another related field.

“The future looks really good for those who choose this field,” Booth says. “It’s a really exciting field to get involved with right now, because the technology is developing so fast.”

CAD Technician

At NIC: one-year Technical Certificate, two-year Advanced Technical Certificate, or two-year Associate of Applied Science degree

How much will I earn? Median pay $48,964 per year

#local #lifecommunity