Skilled trades people are in demand, with many sectors of the construction industry experiencing a shortage of workers. While there are ongoing efforts to work towards solving this challenge, such as workforce diversification and better access to apprenticeship programs, it is important to remember that skilled project management personnel are in short supply as well, and that shortage is continuing to grow. Historically, the industry has tackled this challenge through on-the-job training and elevating tradespeople to management positions, leveraging their firsthand knowledge of the work done at the job site. These mentorships, whether formal or informal, continue to be of great importance, but may fall short in today's rapidly changing construction industry. With the adoption of new technologies such as software based project management tools, digital drawings that include 3D and BIM data, and evolving methods of collaboration such as Lean thinking, its important to adopt more formalized methods of continued education and to find ways to make this available to our skilled trades people. This panel discussion will explore the importance of access to information and training, the value of self-paced learning, and the benefits professional development can bring to organizations and the industry as a whole.

Current the method of teaching engineering drawing consists of teaching the fundamentals such as orthographic projection of views and asking thee students to visualize what the object will look like in 3 D. this makes it very challenging and often times difficult for the students to comprehend the principles. A new method is developed by a group of faculty members at an engineering college in India under the mentorship of the speaker and Dr. Rio D'Souza, the Principal of the engineering college. The method was then validated with faculty in other engineering colleges and the students. All of them have found the new approach to be far superior in achieving the outcomes of better educated students and more motivated faculty..

Accept the challenge! Are you ready? Explore the workflows and methodologies for passing the AutoCAD 2014 Professional Certification Exam. This class offers tips and techniques to new and veteran AutoCAD® software users, giving them a chance to explore the time-saving strategies for passing the exam. We work through the exam objectives, highlighting time-saving tips and techniques for methods of study and preparation. You will be able to develop a strategy for working through each question and understand what to study and what not to study. We look at resources that are available to you as study guides. If you are up for a challenge, need to enhance your resume, or want to achieve your personal or professional goals, attend this class and get ready to be surprised.

Earlier this year, the AutoCAD Exchange Discussion Group on LinkedIn had a running commentary on people's favorite method of launching commands, and it all comes down to personal preference. So in this lab, you get to create a custom panel on the Ribbon to hold your favorites, and also see how to add the same commands to the Quick Access Toolbar. As some of you know, I'm a Tool Palette junkie, so I'll show you how a button on the Tool Palette may result in a better approach. For the keyboarders, I'll show you how to create a one-line AutoLISP® program, and how to edit the ACAD.PGP file for aliases. But what about those rollover tips and the content of Quick Properties? We check that out too. In addition to spending some quality time in the Customize User Interface (CUI), I share gold star tips along the way, all of which I hope will result in a more efficient and productive daily AutoCAD experience.

Schools have widely adopted the Tinkercad design tool for 3D printing. It can also be a very powerful tool for teaching other concepts through project-based learning. In this class you will get to know experiences and effective practices around the introduction of Tinkercad in its use for teaching several STEAM topics for audiences that include children as young as 8 years old. Discover how kids end up getting involved in 3D printing while learning about math, sciences, and art—all while playing with a surprisingly intuitive tool.

The rise of consumer-level 3D printing brings many opportunities and some challenges. 3D printing can produce functional parts, but limitations of the technology mean that designers must account for these constraints early in the design process. In this class we will spend some time understanding exactly how these printers work, with a particular emphasis on how a 3D design is translated into actual toolpaths. Based on this, we will be able to understand how to manage particular issues that affect printability and strength of parts, such as overhangs, wall thickness, filament orientation, and so on. Designers will be able to successfully create parts that are both functional and good-looking. The class will include an overview of relevant software tools from Autodesk, Inc., and other companies. In addition to these topics, the 2014 session will address developments in consumer 3D printing, including new printing technologies, soluble support materials, and articulated joints.

This class will focus on how students age 10 to 20 are taught to use Autodesk® digital design technologies to design and make creative products and working prototypes that address a variety of needs. We will demonstrate methods for a creative design process and explain how metacognitive thinking skills have been applied in the classroom. We will also discuss our methods and the results of action research carried out on a range of mixed-ability students across the age range.

In this panel session, representatives from top companies showcase how they approach workflow within their production process. They discuss the advantages and challenges that workflow brings to their industry and business. They also discuss the impact that workflow has on standard business operations, including the development of their workforce and the recruitment of new talent.

In this keynote session, we will be joined by several speakers who will challenge our perceptions of education today and instill optimism for the future of education. Speakers come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, but each has established a reputation as a leader and change agent in education: Sugata Mitra is a Professor of Educational Technology at the School of Education, Communication, and Language Sciences, Newcastle University, UK.; Cathy Davidson has served as the Ruth F. DeVarney Professor of English at Duke University since 1996, and is the co-founder of HASTAC (Humanities, Arts, Sciences and Technology Advanced Collaboratory); and Katie Salen is Professor of Design and Technology, and director of the Center for Transformative Media at Parsons the New School for Design and the executive director of the Institute of Play. We will discuss how students learn today and the changes we are seeing in education as a result. We will hear about smart educators and organizations that are adapting their approaches in the classroom, with some paths less conventional than others. Also, we will discuss the skills that students will need in the 21st-century workplace and how we can best prepare them for successful and rewarding careers. Join us for the keynote session for discussions that are sure to inspire insightful conversations throughout the week.

Energy poverty is defined as having little or no access to grid electricity. Currently, 789 million people worldwide live in extreme energy poverty—that is 1 in 10 people. SolarBuddy has a solution to provide low-income families with a collective suite of sustainable solutions to help them break their cycles of energy poverty, while helping them thrive under the four pillars of health, education, environment, and economic.

Generative design, Internet of Things, deep learning, advanced visualization, and cloud-based collaboration are all technologies that Autodesk, Inc., is pioneering to facilitate its customers in the imagining, designing, and creating of a better world. But how can these technologies disrupt the current education model? This session will facilitate an energetic and informational discussion among industry experts and educators.

Autodesk CAM for Educators, Students, Classrooms, Student Clubs, Maker Spaces, Non Profits, Learn about Autodesk’s learning resources, and how you can take advantage of the free integrated CAD/CAM software.

"Virtual theater" is defined in a number of ways. This class includes examples of many options for theater and provides descriptions of the tools and techniques used for a number of productions. The examples include both totally virtual productions and productions that combine the digital and the physical.

Autodesk PLM 360 software offers a powerful set of tools that may be used to tailor the software to a customer's business needs. In this class, we discuss best practices for getting started in Autodesk PLM 360. We cover how to properly manage your Autodesk PLM 360 project using the tool itself. This includes technical methods and examples for environment change management and roll out. The goal of this class is to enable administrators to be efficient, from planning to deployment.

Hear from students and faculty on how the cloud will impact workflow in their studies and courses. In this class, we see examples of student work and the key learnings that they will bring into their professional careers.

Career and technical education programs around the world—from K-12 through postsecondary and professional education—equip students with marketable 2D and 3D design skills by teaching them to use up-to-date Autodesk® design software. Autodesk Certification has created a complete certification solution that confirms that students have the skills necessary to further their design careers as they attend college, enter the workforce, or work toward additional levels of industry certification as a seasoned professional. This class covers the Autodesk Certifications available from user through professional, as well as the new workflow certifications. We offer insights into how certification can be applied throughout the entire educational marketplace, industry, and beyond.