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Engineering Technology

Engineering and Drafting Technology at Northwest Tech provides a well-balanced curriculum in drafting, design and related subjects by covering two basic areas of mechanical and civil computer-aided drafting.

You will develop necessary job skills and related technical information in an on-the-job atmosphere similar to an actual engineering firm.  Training will begin on the drafting boards and move to computers using the same software that industry uses. Mathematical applications are used throughout the various subjects and applied in actual job situations, in sharp contrast to the theoretical approach used in many academic post-secondary institutions.

You can be successful in Engineering and Drafting Technology whether you have previous drafting experience (high school or college) or no prior drafting background. Our faculty share many years of industry experience and work hard to help each student succeed in the field.

Associate of Applied Science
(or Technical Certificate)

$38,000– $60,000 per year

Below is a list of items Northwest Tech’s Admissions Team will need prior to your acceptance into the Engineering & Drafting Technology program.

  • A Northwest Tech Application Completed and Submitted

  • High School or GED Transcript Submitted

  • (If Applicable) College Transcript Submitted

  • ACT or AccuPlacer Scores Submitted (AccuPlacer Testing can be scheduled on-site at the Northwest Tech campus)

Required items can be submitted in person at the Northwest Tech campus, via postal mail addressed to: Northwest Tech Admissions, 1209 Harrison, Goodland, KS, or through email communications with admissions@nwktc.edu.

In 2020, Engineering & Drafting Technology placed 67% of its graduates.
 
Within the last couple of years, students have been placed at the following companies after graduation:
Aztec Consultants, Denver CO
Atwell, Denver CO
Driggs Design Group, Hays KS
BHC Rhodes, Kansas City KS
Kiewit, Denver CO
Cashco, Ellsworth KS
 
The most recent average starting salary for graduates was $50,000 per year.  The advisory committee for the program has set the expected salary range for graduates of this program to $38,000 to $50,000 per year.
 
The graduates of the program are highly sought after in the industry and are being hired as CAD Technicians, Designers, Survey Technicians, Construction Inspectors, etc.
 
Here is what one company has to say about the program and the graduates:
 
“Here at HNTB we have been hiring engineering technology students from Northwest Kansas Technical College from the very first class in 1966. We have hired countless graduates from this school. The students from this school have the necessary skills to become productive right away. They learn good work ethics, and are ready to enter the workforce. We have been very pleased with the quality of this school and look forward to hiring these graduates in the future.”
– Wayne Gregory, HNTB
  • Prepare plans in accordance with industry standards.
  • Perform creative and accurate layout and design of projects.
  • Produce technical drawings to industry standards in CAD.
  • As a team member, contribute to the project by completing and organizing assigned tasks.
  • Perform surveys using surveying equipment.
  • As a team leader, manage people and resources to complete assigned projects.
  • Design and draw a land development plat with specified guidelines.
  • Perform civil land development calculations for plat.
  • Perform calculations for complex traverse.
  • Produce thorough calculations and method notes while calculating the traverse.
  • Andy Pelster
  • Tod Bunker
  • Rene Hernandez
  • Roy Marken
  • Mike Grant
  • Dustin Delgado
  • Frank Mercurio
  • Dave Harms
  • Douglas Roeder
  • Tony Peall
  • Adam Schart
  • Jenny Ryan