Free CAD education · learn by doing

Learn CAD.
Build something real.

CADReach provides free, mentor-led CAD education for people of all ages, then helps learners apply those skills through guided projects and appropriate community design challenges.

LEARN DESIGN SERVE

Our model

A skill becomes more powerful
when it has somewhere to go.

01

Learn

Free, structured instruction in CAD fundamentals.

02

Design

Apply new skills through guided engineering and modeling projects.

03

Serve

Use CAD skills to help solve appropriate needs identified by community partners.

Programs

A structured path from first sketch to finished model.

Begin with the fundamentals, practice through projects, and grow into mentoring or community design.

View all programs

Why CADReach

Talent is everywhere.
Access is not.

CAD can open doors to engineering, architecture, manufacturing, and creative problem-solving. But getting started can require expensive software, specialized classes, or a mentor who already knows the way.

CADReach is building a free, structured entry point—designed for people of all ages who are ready to learn by doing.

Why we started

Common barriers / 04

01

Expensive instruction

02

No clear starting point

03

Limited access to mentors

04

Tutorials without structured projects

Our answerFree instruction, clear pathways, guided projects, and human support.

Workshop curriculum

Professional tools.
A human starting point.

Initial instruction focuses on two widely used CAD platforms, with room to expand as the program grows.

Explore Curriculum
2D

PATHWAY 01

AutoCAD

Drawing, geometry, layers, dimensions, and technical communication.
3D

PATHWAY 02

SOLIDWORKS

Parametric modeling, assemblies, drawings, and design intent.

Additional platforms may be added over time. Software names are used for instructional context only.

Community design

Real needs can become meaningful design briefs.

We’re creating a way for schools, libraries, nonprofits, clubs, makerspaces, and other community organizations to propose appropriate, non-safety-critical design problems.

Participants can learn to listen, define requirements, model, review, and iterate—while partners gain a thoughtful educational collaboration.

Become a Community Partner

Ready when you are

Your first design starts here.

No prior CAD experience required. CADReach workshops are free, mentor-led, and open to learners of all ages.