CADD program is music to Brown’s ears

Tony Brown, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Computer Aided Drafting and Design student and Metallica Scholar, wants to use his training and experience to open a luthier business, building custom guitars. Originally from Washington state, Brown worked as a luthier in Los Angeles before joining the U.S. Army, stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. 

“Working for another business, building guitars at $10 an hour wasn’t really conducive to starting a family,” he said. “I joined the army to have stable pay and start a family.” 

After leaving the military, Brown and his wife and daughter chose to move to the Elizabethtown area after printing out a map of the U.S. and determining which region had the best schools and best cost of living. He wanted to get back into building guitars and knew that ECTC’s CADD program would help him gain the skills necessary to write coding for laser engravers and CNC machines.  

“ECTC’s CADD program has been amazing,” Brown said. “I’m gaining skills that will help me professionally. The instructors are awesome, the school is wonderful and everyone has been very helpful.” 

Brown is set to graduate in August 2025. He and his business partner have all the equipment needed to start their luthier business and hope to have it up and running before he’s finished with his degree. The Metallica Scholars scholarship is helping him chase his dream. 

“I’m medically retired so we’re living off that paycheck. The scholarship is helping to put food on the table and pay for school and bills,” he said. “It’s definitely a weight lifted off my shoulders financially. I’m very appreciative to have the opportunity.”