Computer-Aided Design
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Computer-Aided Design & Engineering Technology (CAD)

Design things—all the things—with the expert knowledge gleaned from a top college program in Computer-Aided Design and Engineering Technology. In our program, you learn a lot: design principles, applications, and other skills you need to be successful in this hot field.  

Combine Artistry & Technical Skill 

What can you do with a certificate or degree in Computer-Aided Design (more commonly known as “CAD”) and Engineering Technology? A whole lot! 

You can design vehicles, household products, buildings, and maybe even the next space shuttle. Everything we see and use starts with an idea—and a good design carefully crafted by an imaginative and skilled artist. This field is full of excitement and potential, and Oakland Community College can help you get started. 

Join a Growing Field 

Salaries for these roles average about $58,000 per year in the Detroit metro area. Those numbers are stable across the country, too, with the average national salary per year being about $60,000. As with any job, your salary increases depending on experience and education level—and, in the Detroit metro, the highest designer salary is about $82,000. Explore local jobs.

Job Market Outlook

Meet Laura Kalinowski, Award-Winning Faculty Member

Laura Kalinowski is an adjunct faculty member with over 20 years of experience teaching engineering, architecture and interior design. She recently received Autodesk University’s Top-Rated Class award for the second year in a row, winning in the Additional Industries and Audiences category for her presentations on Maker Girl Mania: Inspiring Future STEM Leaders and Enhancing Lesson Plans and Strengthening Industry Partnerships: A Collaborative Workshop for CTE Teachers. She is the co-creator of Maker Girl Mania, an event that helps bridge the gender gap in engineering.

Laura Kalinowski

Let’s Go! 

Our CAD and Engineering Technology program produces stellar designers who greatly benefit from the perks of a vibrant, ever-advancing community college. Consider these benefits: 

  • Affordable tuition
  • Small class sizes
  • Expert faculty members
  • Career services, counseling, and support programs
  • Internships and apprenticeships 

Success in our program—and in designer roles—requires hard work and a lot of technical competencies. We’ll prepare you. Bring your best effort! 

Bring Your Ideas to Life 

In your classes, you learn design essentials and theory, and you immediately apply those skills using state-of-the-art drafting programs like AutoCAD or NX. You’re taught to envision an idea and then fully realize it—first on paper and then as a concept built through industry-leading software. 

You learn all about: 

  • 2D and 3D design
  • Engineering principles
  • Project cost estimation
  • Dimensional measurements
  • Computational math
  • Programming languages
  • Additive manufacturing

Options, Options, Options 

Choose from associate degree or certificate options. Completion times depend on full-time or part-time attendance status. Generally, the associate degrees can be finished by full-time students in about two years (including summer terms). Completion times for the certificates vary. Speak with a faculty member to plan your course of study and the schedule that works for you. 

Associate Degrees 

We offer three Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees in Computer-Aided Design and Engineering Technology. Options include: 

Engineering 

Build floor plans and complex renderings:

Product Design 

Design useful items and tools: 

Vehicle Design 

Conceptualize a new hot rod: 

Certificate (Level II — Intermediate) 

Level up your knowledge with an intermediate certificate: 

Certificate of Achievement 

Start your career with an entry-level certificate: 

You can also earn the certificates and then proceed toward one of the degree options. For more information, speak with a faculty member.

Enroll Now 

Begin your studies with these steps: 

  • Apply to OCC. If you’re not already an OCC student, create a profile and complete our online application.
  • On the application, select your desired CAD option.
  • Existing OCC students can update their academic program using the Student Update Information Request form.