With courses led by Korie Carter, a professor with over 20 years of cumulative teaching and field experience, Eastern Florida State College’s Drafting & Design program prepares students to enter careers in some of the Space Coast’s most in-demand industries.
“We teach students how to create technical and engineering drawings that meet ANSI/ASME Y14 standards,” Carter explained. “Additionally, students can learn six different CAD programs, including AutoCAD, Inventor, Civil 3D, SolidWorks, Revit, and Creo, which helps them discover what specialty they want to focus on.”
The program gives students hands-on experience creating blueprints and other technical documentation that aligns with national expectations in mechanical, aerospace, architectural, and civil industries—preparing them to enter those fields by program completion.
Through faculty with strong industry ties and a curriculum built upon best practices, students find employment with nationwide giants like L3Harris, Kimley-Horn, and Atkins Global, alongside local engineering and architectural firms, including BRPH Architects and Engineers, CAG Architects, and Seadek Marine.
Flexible Academic Pathways
Students can choose between a Drafting Design Certificate or an A.S. in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design. Students who choose to begin with the certificate earn 22 credit hours toward the subsequent two-year associate’s degree.
“Many students find employment with just the certificate,” said Carter. “The benefit of the A.S. degree is the potential for advancement and the ability to move on to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering or architecture at universities like UCF.”
First-year student, Alyssa Bock, whose interest in drafting began while watching her parents build their family home, chose to begin with the College’s Drafting & Design Certificate, which she highly recommends as a program starting point.
“In the Certificate program, I’ve learned how everything technically works, not just theoretically but actually hands-on,” said Bock. “Topics included blueprint reading, advanced AutoCAD, and all the skills and tools you’re expected to know in the degree program.”
Bock is excited about the wide range of industry possibilities her new skillsets offer: “You can design walls, tables, car parts—even roller coasters. But I’m most excited about one day designing a home of my own, just like my parents did.”
Colby Jones also chose to begin with the Drafting Design Certificate, while simultaneously completing his associate in arts degree. He plans to transfer to UCF’s bachelor’s in mechanical engineering with the goal of working for Drummond or L3Harris.
“I have no regrets at all taking these classes,” said Jones. “I just wish I had done it sooner!”
A Collaborative Environment
Jones has built a strong foundation in AutoCAD, including how to interpret blueprints, recreate dimensioned drawings, and add technical notes to projects—many of which involve class collaboration.
“It’s really a collaborative, supportive environment,” said Jones. “You can ask the person sitting at a computer next to you. Most of the time they can help you with whatever you need.”
Being in a specialized program means seeing the same faces from class to class, creating a feeling of camaraderie. Projects often involve mutual effort, such as when an entire class helped design and assemble individual parts of a functioning bridge.
“It’s really satisfying when you make a bunch of small things, put them together, and it works,” said Jones.
Hands-on Experience
The program makes connections to local employers easier, providing the pathway to career opportunities.
“Preparing students for meaningful careers requires more than classroom instruction. It demands strong, active partnerships with the employers who will one day hire them,” said College President Dr. Jim Richey. “Our Drafting and Design Program exemplifies that commitment, connecting students with industry leaders who help shape their future from day one.”
Students enrolled in the A.S. Drafting and Design Degree who have completed at least 75% of the program can complete an internship elective for course credit. By partnering with local and international employers, EFSC provides a pathway for students to apply hands-on learning in a professional environment—and the benefits don’t end there.
“The internships are always paid because you’re not ‘just making coffee.’ You’re contributing to these companies’ projects,” said Carter. “More often than not, that internship leads to employment.”
Furthermore, the faculty’s connections with local engineering and architectural firms give students the opportunity to receive teacher-recommendation-based job interviews.
Connections with Employers
Drafting and Design program student, Richard Rios, discovered this firsthand when he started college classes. Like many other students in his program, he had taken drafting classes throughout high school. He even graduated with an Inventor certification. After pursuing a career in IT for nearly a decade, he decided to return to his educational roots.
“A job I was looking at wanted blueprint‑reading and drafting experience,” said Rios. “They asked, ‘What’s your experience now?’ and I didn’t have anything current.”
He enrolled in EFSC’s drafting program to update his high school skillset. After completing a few classes, he asked Instructor Carter about local hiring opportunities. Within three weeks he had an interview and received a job offer from a local firm. In his new role, he designs and manufactures foam-based architectural accents.
“I’m applying what I learn in class directly at work,” said Rios. “I’ll learn something on the job, then come into class and learn the exact same thing. The education and on-the-job training complement each other perfectly.”
Rios considers himself a product of the program’s success, crediting its strong industry connections for students’ ability to enter the field.
“If my employer expands, I’m looking at EFSC for new hires first,” said Rios. “I know the quality education students are getting there.”
Echoing the sentiments was Jim Oshier with L3Harris who stated, “Graduates from the EFSC CAD program hired at L3Harris as entry level mechanical designers started with a higher level of proficiency and familiarity of applicable skill sets and software, which enabled them to more quickly become working assets to the engineering program teams.”
Drafting Dreams and Futures – One Design at a Time
The Drafting and Design program recently moved into EFSC’s new Center for Innovative Technology Education (CITE) Building on the Melbourne Campus. Students now have access to larger classrooms and an enhanced workspace featuring upgraded monitors, 3D printers, and desktop CNC machines, allowing students to fabricate CAD-created designs on the spot.
Both the Drafting Certificate and Associate of Science programs offer ongoing enrollment at the College, allowing students to apply and start classes in any term.
Brevard Public Schools (BPS) students who recently completed specific technical design or drafting courses at a BPS high school may be eligible to receive college credit for previous related coursework. Similarly, individuals with prior drafting experience, coursework, or industry certifications may be eligible to receive college credit at no cost.
From designing the roads and bridges that connect the country, to advancing the aerospace field with engines and spacecraft components, EFSC’s Drafting and Design program offers flexible pathways to fulfilling careers. With industry-experienced instructors, access to some of the Space Coast’s most in-demand employers, and built-in internship opportunities, EFSC helps students draft their future—one design at a time.
For more information about the many wonderful career and technical degree and certificate programs offered at EFSC, visit easternflorida.edu/go/careertech.
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