United States site instead?Graphisoft teams with Google, Discovery Channel, SolidWorks and other leading software providers to make CAD education affordable for schools
BOSTON – October 17, 2007 – Graphisoft™ and other leading design software providers announce the launch of The CAD Academy today. This new and innovative program will help teach design and architecture education to a new generation of middle and high school students.
The CAD Academy program bundles industry leading software with class curriculum, multimedia training and expert technical support, at up to 75 percent less cost than other design education packages.
The CAD Academy software bundle includes:
- Graphisoft Archicad, a Building Information Model (BIM) software technology for 3D architectural modeling;
- SolidWorks 3D CAD software for mechanical engineering and product design;
- Google SketchUP Pro, one of simplest 3D design tools, with Podium photo-real rendering;
- Discovery Channel, multimedia content, including excerpts from the “Extreme Engineering” show; and
- A+CAD®, proprietary to The CAD Academy, provides a basic CAD package that uses the familar AutoCAD® interface, commands, applications, and compatibility “without the high cost.”
The CAD Academy encourages students to explore technology related career paths through real-world projects. “By linking academics and 3D design software, students gain solid understanding of science, engineering, architecture, technology and mathematics,” said Patrick Mays, Vice President of Graphisoft North America. “At Graphisoft, we believe students drive the future of architecture. Students who learn to design in Archicad gain an early lead by learning a more transparent and efficient approach to building design and construction.”
Smart technology backed by smart curriculum
The CAD Academy software suite is bundled with comprehensive curriculum resources that are approved by the American Design Drafting Association. It is designed both for teachers inexperienced in the subject areas, as well as experienced instructors who have developed their own curriculum.
The bundle includes Archicad Interactive Training Guides, which include pre-set Archicad project files and narrated movie clips. Training guides included are:
- The BIM Experience Kit
- Archicad 11 Basic Training
- Advanced Content Creation
- Collaboration Training
Other resources in the educational package include lesson plans, multimedia presentations, professional references, interactive training CDs, tests and other instructional aids.
About The CAD Academy:
The CAD Academy is a collaboration of professionals, industry leaders, and educators cooperating to create a comprehensive and affordable pre-engineering/pre-architecture program for the education community. The goal of The CAD Academy is to inspire a new generation of engineers and architects through the implementation of industry leading software, curriculum, and multimedia content. For more information, visit www.thecadacademy.com.