Picture Yourself Here: Parker Talbot

CAD student Parker Talbot is completing his second semester at Kalamazoo Valley. The Petoskey native transferred to Valley from Western Michigan University where he was originally studying computer science. Before transferring to Valley, he took enough CAD classes to realize that was his true calling. "I was confused about what to study before, but it's been awesome here so far."

Talbot has been impressed with his instructors and the college's machine tool lab equipment.

"I love the CAD program," he said. "All of the instructors are great. They're setting us up to succeed. I feel like they really care and all of the lab equipment is a treat to use. We're being set up for the real world."

He will graduate in fall 2024 after completing a few more classes. He has already landed a CAD job and is certain that Kalamazoo Valley helped launch his career. "I've been hired in a job where I'll be using MasterCAM," he said. "My training here enabled me to get the job."