Testimonials

Read what some of our graduates have to say about Green River College's Design Drafting Technology program.

Julie Axberg

Julie Axberg
Technical Designer, The Boeing Company

After being laid off from the interior design and architecture industry in early 2009, I knew that my main objective was to gain the skills that I needed to provide me with the job security I wanted.

After doing a lot of research, I was happy to learn that the Design Drafting Technology program at Green River College could provide me with the education I wanted in other industries that employed drafters and designers. I already had drafting and design skills from my previous career in interior design, and GRCC helped me gain the skills I needed for other fields I might want to work in.

GRCC’s program is one of the most highly regarded and rigorous programs in the state, so I felt well prepared for the workforce once my schooling was completed. In addition, I had great support from the instructors, who genuinely wanted me to be successful and assisted me in any way they could.

I graduated from GRCC in 2011 with an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in Design Drafting Technology, and have certificates in Mechanical 3D CAD Drafting, Structural Drafting and Civil Drafting. I now work as a Technical Designer for the 737 program at The Boeing Company, and am pleased to report that I love what I do and the people I work with.

Dustin Gauntt

Dustin Gauntt
Estimator and Tool Designer, Carlson Formetec

I finally resolved to join the Drafting Program at Green River College after a really bad day at work. I don’t remember exactly what happened that day to make me come to the conclusion I came to, but I remember the job well. I worked at a warehouse, busting my butt for crap pay. I was always sore and my boss was a jerk. I knew I could do better.

I had taken drafting in high school, had really liked it, and knew I had the right mind-set to do well in the field. I fell in love with the drafting program immediately, and knew this is what I wanted to do. I went to school in the early morning till noon, then went to work in the afternoon. It was really hard supporting myself and going to school, but it was well worth it. I now work at an aerospace part manufacturing facility in Tacoma. I don’t come home sore and dirty. Bosses will be bosses; but my new job is leagues above any of my old crappy ones. I’m paid well and I feel challenged. Completing the Drafting Program at GRCC has allowed me to take the next step in life, and was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.

Ashley Griffith

Ashley Griffith
CAD Operator, Lochinvar

The transformation my life has taken before and after completing the Drafting program at Green River Community College is profound. The program is challenging all with a rewarding sense of achievement. I have never meet an instructor as caring and dedicated to helping the student achieve not only through the program but in finding success beyond the classroom.

My degree, ADDA certification and portfolio made me a competitive applicant. The skills I learned make me a competitive employer. I moved across country and gained employment with one of the largest companies in middle Tennessee. I finally have a career that I look forward to going to everyday.

Tim Yefimchuk

Tim Yefimchuk
Technical Designer 1 , The Boeing Company

My name is Tim Yefimchuk and I graduated out of the Design Drafting Technology program from Green River Community College in spring of 2011. I am currently a Technical Designer at Boeing in Everett and everything that I learned in the Design program at GRCC has prepared me for a career in Tech Design.

As a young student, I had the chance to attend GRCC through the running start program provided by my high school. I took this opportunity and knew that I wanted to do something related to drafting. I signed up for the classes and was well on my way. As the quarters went by, the information I was taking in was preparing me for the future in more ways than I could know. The classes provided in the Design Drafting program at GRCC not only challenged me constantly, but had also sparked an interest in the Boeing Company. A year into the program, I began applying for openings through the Boeing online hiring system. I kept applying and never seemed to be able to land an interview even after graduation. Knowing I should keep my options open, I hired onto a smaller company as their “CAD Engineer”. Eventually, Boeing got back to me months later and I hired on at Boeing as a Technical Designer 1 in Everett. The beginning of my career is just getting started!

Thanks to the Design Drafting program at GRCC and the awesome instructors that helped me to understand all of it, I was able to advance forward after graduation and apply the material and information I had learned in the program to my career.

Also, big thank you to instructors Felix Serna, Terry Waagan and Lynn Reynolds.