As a child, he loved creating with Legos and playing with remote-controlled vehicles. For Richard, the Engineering Design Technology program was a natural choice. He gave it his all and earned a regular spot on the Dean's List. And thanks to the College's Career Fair, he landed a job before graduation. Today, he's working at Newport News Shipbuilding – the sole designer, builder and refueler of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
My dad and grandfather were land surveyors and engineers and worked in the construction field for most of their lives. My dad still is a project manager for a construction and engineering firm. I was exposed to it a lot and always wanted to be like them.
I’ve always had a passion for boats and boating. I figured this would be a good chance to get experience in the field. What could be cooler than working on some of the largest and most complex ships in the world? The location was great too, being close to Virginia Beach.
My work is focused on designing structures (usually cabinets and enclosures) that house upgraded mechanical and electrical systems for any of the Navy’s 10 Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers that protect our country. I work closely with engineers to come up with the most efficient and cost-effective designs and then create 3D models and 2D drawings of the final designs.
Learning and incorporating the many company and government standards and procedures into my designs. That was very challenging at first, but I am starting to get the hang of things now.
I would not have gotten where I am today without Penn College. Everything I learned in school has made my job so much easier, and I am in a much better position than those I work with who have not had the training I received. Penn College is committed to using the most up-to-date technology that is used in industry. For me, the result was a quick, easy, and seamless transition into a great career.
Imagine using your CAD skills to design some of the largest nuclear powered vessels in the world including U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. That is a reality for engineering design technology alum Richard Wood. In Richard’s words, “What could be cooler than working on some of the largest and most complex ships in the world?”
"Our class sizes were small, and we had professors who cared about us and were willing to go out of their way to help. I can’t say 'thank you' enough to my professors and classmates at Penn College. They made my time there enjoyable and taught me more than I could have imagined coming into it."
Richard Wood
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