In a major move to close the skills gap and fuel career opportunities, Autodesk has partnered with Wake Technical Community College, North Carolina’s largest community college, and Kimley-Horn, one of the nation’s leading design consulting firms, to prepare more than 6,000 students for high-demand careers in design, engineering, and construction.
As part of the partnership, Autodesk has donated $250,000 to the Wake Tech Foundation to modernize the college’s coursework by integrating its industry-grade software into the classroom, including the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) cloud Autodesk Forma, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Civil 3D and its manufacturing industry cloud Autodesk Fusion.
The collaboration also integrates Kimley-Horn’s nationally recognized internship program, creating a direct pipeline from classroom to career. Students will have the opportunity to apply their skills on real projects while helping our customers meet the growing demand for skilled professionals.
Autodesk’s VP of Education Mary Hope McQuiston speaks on Wake Tech’s campus in celebration of Autodesk’s collaboration with the leading community college (photo courtesy of Wake Tech).
“We know the journey from high school to career isn’t one-size-fits-all—and it’s critical that students have the chance to explore the many paths open to them. That’s why we’re proud to support schools like Wake Tech in preparing the next generation of professionals across the industries we serve. It’s our responsibility to provide them with the real-world experience and the same cutting-edge tools used by today’s Design and Make leaders. Together with our customer Kimley-Horn, we will help students build confidence, gain real-world skills, and chart their own path forward.” – Mary Hope McQuiston, VP of Education, Autodesk
Across the United States, the construction industry faces a shortage of more than 500,000 workers*, leaving critical infrastructure and development projects understaffed and slowing growth for customers nationwide.
Autodesk’s latest State of Design and Make report found that 58% of professionals say a lack of skilled talent is a major barrier to growth, a 15-point increase from last year. Meanwhile, AI has become a standard skillset across Design and Make careers. Autodesk’s recent AI Jobs report found that the demand for workers with AI skills has exploded, with mentions of AI rising 640% in job listings across three million Design and Make job listings.
By partnering with educational institutions and customers, Autodesk is helping close that gap and empowering students from all backgrounds to pursue rewarding careers while supporting the industries that design and make our world.
Leaders sign the “I-beam,” a symbol of the industry-academia partnership between Autodesk, Kimley-Horn, and Wake Tech (photo courtesy of Wake Tech).
This partnership is part of Autodesk’s broader commitment to helping schools, educators, and industry leaders collaborate on innovative training programs that prepare the next generation of talent for in-demand jobs and fulfilling career paths.
Through initiatives like this, Autodesk is expanding opportunity, strengthening the workforce pipeline, and helping ensure the next wave of Design and Make leaders are ready for the future.
*Associated Builders and Contractors