20 September 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Carlson College Achieves Important Milestone

1000th Student Completes Class

FRONT ROYAL, Va. — Carlson College recently had its 1,000th student successfully complete a class since its formal formation as a division of Carlson Software in October 2006. The distinction of reaching this milestone goes to Ms. Alysen Kohlnhofer of Kapitan Engineering Inc. of Sauk City, Wisc. She completed a Carlson Survey class in Omaha, Neb., in July.

Ms. Kohlnhofer, LSIT, a survey technician for the company specializing in both field and office computations, uses Carlson Software daily.  In evaluating the training received, she remarked that the class was “Wonderfully taught” and “The instructor is a great teacher!”  The training helped her implement a survey solution within Kapitan Engineering that automates collection of field data and preparation of base sheet comprising both 2D and 3D information.

Kapitan Engineering has been designing and implementing communications networks for telephone companies and other utilities throughout Wisconsin since 1960. In 1988, the company switched from traditional manual drafting of drawings and maps to computerized drafting using AutoCAD.  In the mid-1990s, Kapitan Engineering expanded its design services to include GIS mapping for various utilities and municipalities. The surveying projects have since expanded to include all aspects of land surveying, highway construction staking, and site development work – this, in addition for the firm’s core telecom network design services.

“We have used several different mainstream survey/civil design software packages over the past decade including Softdesk, Eagle Point, and Autodesk LDD.  Each software package had its strengths and weaknesses,” says Scott E. Carroll, P.E., of Kapitan Engineering. “The greatest common problem was in the complexity of learning and using the various software modules to achieve true “field-to-finish” results efficiently.  There was also the issue regarding the evolution of survey data collectors and problems associated with software interfacing to properly process field data and generate line work.”

Kapitan implemented Carlson SurvCADD in 2006 and upgraded to Carlson Civil 2007 upon its release.  “We use a Carlson Explorer II data collector to interface with our Leica total station and GPS systems,” adds Carroll, “and have found that this setup works very well in streamlining the overall surveying process from initial data collection to processing linework and generating drawings. It is a well-integrated package that is intuitive and powerful in terms of design tools and other useful features. Our surveyors are very pleased with the Carlson software and the Explorer II data collector combination.”

“Carlson College is proud of  this 1,000th-student milestone because this was achieved by considering only those people who received in-depth training,” says Harry O. Ward, PE, and director of Training for Carlson College. “We are working very hard at our world-class training and education facility and a recent acknowledgement of our accomplishments is that we have been awarded the coveted IACET [International Association for Continuing Education and Training Provider] authorization. This authorizes us to provide CEU’s [Continuing Education Units] to attendees who successfully complete our classes.

“The major feature of our training is that education is embedded into the training,” Ward notes. “In addition to learning how the software should be applied to problems, Carlson College also teaches the theories, algorithms and formulas behind the software’s processing.” Formerly OutSource Inc., Carlson College is a division of Carlson Software. It provides world-class training, taught by professionally licensed engineers and surveyors in fixed classrooms in Front Royal, Va.; at roaming, regional classes throughout the country; and also on-site, complete with a mobile lab. 

“With the demand for productivity and accountability as high as it is today,” adds Ward, “Carlson College knows how to help employees learn and how to apply these new skills in the workplace.  At the same time we show management how investment in training can contribute directly to business goals."

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Carlson Software Inc. since 1983 • www.carlsonsw.com • 800-989-5028

About Carlson Software: Founded in 1983 by Bruce Carlson, Carlson Software specializes in CAD design software, field data collection, and machine control products for the surveying, civil engineering, construction, and mining industries worldwide, providing one-source technology solutions. Carlson Software is renowned for its strong, personal customer service, continuing to work for its customers after the sale by providing unlimited, free technical support and allowing customers to choose maintenance as needed. Carlson Software is based in Maysville, Ky., with branch offices in Boston, Mass., Atlanta, Ga., Front Royal, Va., and Queensland, Australia.