This term, we are featuring Paul Christensen. Paul is a former instructor as well as an alum. His tale is not unlike many grads who come to NTI after attending other colleges.

“The company I work for is JBTC (John Bean Technologies Corporation), where I have worked here since Dec ’97, when it was Northfield Freezing. The first eight years I served as the drafting supervisor for the freezer design group, where we transitioned our freezer designs from AutoCAD to ProE. I then moved into sales support, and now spend much of my time developing cost estimating tools, reviewing contracts, and working on sales process and sales data improvements. Our sales coordinators report to me, and they are responsible for ensuring that all the necessary quotes, budgets, proposals, leases, rentals, loans, internal inquiries, order information and other sales documentation is processed correctly and moving to where it needs to go to support both potential and actual new equipment sales.

Although no longer part of the engineering team, I use the skills I honed in drafting nearly every day. For example; a strong understanding of our equipment design and the materials we use makes me a more accurate cost estimator. Knowing the types of information that engineering can provide, and the time it takes to do so, helps me determine if various contractual obligations are reasonable. Having the background as drafting supervisor, I often know at a glance if historical sales data is accurate or is in need of improvement. That is why I insist that a career in drafting opens a door to some of the most interesting and exciting work you will ever do. Personally, I’ve never met anyone who told me they once worked in drafting and design and were not proud to say so.”

To view additional alumni profiles or write your own, visit the alumni section of our blog.