The Selma Times-Journal

When someone gives you a priceless gift – the gift of knowledge – how do you say thank you?

One student found a way.

David Hobbs, the Drafting Design Technology (DDT) instructor at Wallace Community College Selma, was named Who’s Who Among American Teachers for the 2004-2005 year.

Hobbs was nominated by an anonymous student.

This is Hobbs’ second Who’s Who award.

He received the same honor for 2002.

“Mr. Hobbs is a great teacher, he really is,” Brittany Richardson said, a 2005 graduate of the DDT program.

Hobbs has seen many students come and go and has had the satisfaction of helping many of them find job placement.

Richardson is one of them.

“I have some students that can help in hiring other students,” Hobbs said.

Richardson is a Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) Technician for civil engineering company, Sain Associates, in Birmingham.

“We design the parking lots for Wal-mart, Regions, and Bass Pro Shops,” Richardson said.

Brandon Sumrall, another former graduate of the DDT program, helped open the door for Richardson – whom he didn’t know at the time.

“He emailed Mr. Hobbs and told him that there was a position available,” Richardson said. “Mr. Hobbs recommended me.

That’s how I got the interview.”

According to Hobbs, employers frequently seek potential employees from WCCS’s Drafting department.

“Some students locate employment before they even graduate,” Hobbs said. “Some work part time while in school.”

This is Hobbs’ 10th year as WCCS’s Drafting instructor.

“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here,” Hobbs said.

He has taught a wide variety of students from various schools and backgrounds.

“They come from all over – ty, Wilcox County, Perry County,” Hobbs said.

One would probably think a potential Drafting student needs to be a math whiz with some knowledge of the trade.

Not so.

“They don’t need any Drafting exposure,” Hobbs said.

According to Hobbs, the only prerequisite for the program is a high school diploma or GED.

In addition to that, one should have “a creative mind.”

Drafting could be a gateway for expression for someone who likes to draw or even doodle.

“They don’t have to be a great artist,” Hobbs said.

Hobbs described drafting as “an industrial art.”

“It allows someone who has an art background to basically take his or her skills and apply it to making a living,” he said.

During the course of the program, students do many projects such as sketching, architecture projects, building models, solid modeling and creating solid models.

After graduating from WCCS’ DDT program, some students choose to further their education before heading into the job market.

“Their Associates Degree will transfer to slated universities,” Hobbs said.

When asked if WCCS’ Drafting program prepared her for her current job, Richardson emphatically said, “Yes it did.”

“It was very well worth it,” she said.