Penn College Grads Ready for Hire

By DE Editors

The Schoolof Industrial and Engineering Technologies at Pennsylvania College of Technology is actively working towards filling the shortage of trained professionals in the engineering workforce by preparing their students in the use of 3D design software. Assistant Professor J. D. Mather’s students enjoy great success in finding work and succeeding after graduation, which he believes is due to the fact that they are taught to use the same tools professionals use in the workforce.

“Right away in their first year, students get experience in leading-edge 3D CAD techniques and software,” says Mather. Mather, an Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert, teaches Inventor in the courses offered: two programs in drafting and CAD technology: a two year associate’s degree in Computer-Aided Drafting Technology and a four-year bachelor’s degree in Computer-Aided Product Design.

Penn College is an active member of the Autodesk Student Engineering and Design Community. Designed for students in the fields of mechanical engineering, industrial design, architecture, and civil engineering to download software, such as Inventor, for free, this web portal gives students access to a variety of services including job searches, peer networking and access to industry experts.

Created  by Kyle Brand

Penn College student Austin Upright has his 3D design work featured in the Samples, Tutorial, and Help files of Autodesk Inventor. The students at Penn College’s School of Industrial and Engineering Technologies have placement rates approaching 100 percent in the industry, and in some cases are becoming their own employers.

Created by J.D. Mather

“Two former students have their own mini-bike company,” says Mather. “Right now they have a patent pending for a product they developed using Inventor and a rapid prototyping machine.” Mather says the program has many repeat customers, companies who have hired recent graduates in the past who come back for more.

One such company is also interested in establishing a summer internship program with Penn College students.

Graduates with extensive Inventor knowledge range to the expert level and a few have completed Inventor Certification, which guarantees prospective employers that the potential employee is ready to take on complex design projects. “We’re proud that two of our recent graduates, Ashley Belles and Andrew Butters, are two of only three students worldwide who have passed the Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert exam,” says Mather. “This exam is usually taken after a couple of years of professional experience.” A certified expert himself, Mather has also been active in the beta development of AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor software.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.