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Miami EZ Funds Training in Computer-Assisted Design Software

Miami-Dade, Florida, EZ

Residents of the Miami-Dade EZ are learning the skills of computer-assisted architectural design and drafting, thanks to an agreement between CADD Centers of Florida and the Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust, which administers the EZ. Under the agreement, signed in March 2001, CADD Centers have conducted six 14-week sessions to date of Autodesk Authorized Training in the EZ, graduating 60 trainees.

"On several occasions we had to request permission from our program directors to increase the class size to accommodate the high demand for our training," said instructor Alvaro Menendez. "That alone is testament to the need for our program." CADD assigned two instructors and one coordinator to the EZ-funded trainings. Successful trainees become employable in jobs that pay $10 to $15 per hour.

Autodesk is a manufacturer of computer-aided design software, needed in industries such as building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and location services.

CADD is the only dealer in Florida certified to train in all five areas of Autodesk software: architectural design and drafting, civil design and land development (including survey), mechanical design and drafting, graphic information systems, and animation and visualization.

Training is conducted on the latest Autodesk Certified Courseware. After passing each step, students move on to the next plateau to learn even greater skills. Trainees can move on to internships at commercial firms and government agencies, getting experience in real-world applications and work habits.

To fill a lively demand among companies looking for skilled drafters and designers, CADD refers its trainees to opportunities as independent contractors. Many government projects require minority participation and most trainees from the EZ fall into that category.

CADD assists those who wish to become independent business people to set up operations-providing hardware and software and assisting graduates with marketing, planning, and running a business.

CADD helps these entrepreneurs market their services to business and government enterprises and maintain the currency of their skills through ongoing technical support. CADD's ongoing training in the EZ produces a pool of skilled labor that these entrepreneurs can hire and mentor.

"This is a really unique and exciting program because not only are we providing people with the educational tools to prepare them for a career, but we are also creating entrepreneurs with the potential to be extremely profitable," affirmed Bryan Finnie, former president and CEO of the Empowerment Trust. For more information on CADD Centers of Florida, call Richard Neiman, president, at (954) 772-7300.

For more information on programs in the Miami-Dade EZ, contact Director of Empowerment Zone Initiative Karen Moore at (786) 469-2219.