Technical Certificate
Contact Information: Program Office 615-353-3475, E-mail CAD@nscc.edu, Program Site

Computer-aided drafting is used in all well-paying technical fields with high demand for skilled drafters. Nashville State offers the one-year Computer-Aided Drafting Technical Certificate, using AutoCAD and other relevant software.

The Computer-Aided Drafting Technical Certificate is for students who want a technical career and who want to enter the job market quickly. Students choose the field in which they want to work—Architectural Engineering Technology, Civil and Construction Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, or Horticulture/Landscaping. Students take the courses listed below, including applied courses related to their chosen field. Quickly students are ready for Nashville State’s Career Services Office to help them find jobs in their chosen fields. Part-time jobs may be available for students after their first semester, allowing them to enter the workforce even faster.

Scheduling of classes is flexible with day and evening courses offered. Students can choose to attend school full-time or part-time.

Graduates of the program should be able to:

• Create new or edit existing drawings and print large multiple sheet projects as needed;
• Work with 2-D and 3-D projects using learned skills to produce accurate drawings quickly and efficiently;
• Work with multiple drafting disciplines if needed;
• Apply critical thinking skills to resolve challenges in the workplace; and
• Create a full set of drawings as a portfolio to be presented at job interviews.

Career Opportunities

• Drafters work in many fields including but not limited to Architecture, Civil, Electrical, Industrial and Mechanical Engineering. Drafters will assist Engineers in the field and in the office to create and revise drawings.
• Mechanical Systems Developer
• Design Technician
• Surveying/Civil Engineering Cartographer
• Architectural Assistant
• Technical Illustrator

Transfer/Advising

This certificate is designed so that a student can apply all of the required courses toward a Nashville State A.A.S. degree in Architectural and Civil Engineering Technology or General Technology. A student who plans to apply the certificate toward an A.A.S. degree should consult his/her advisor about articulation options.

Certificate Requirements

Credit hours required vary by concentration. A minimum of 28 credit hours is required for graduation.