Caden
Trahan

Hi, I’m Caden. I’m based in the Charlotte area, where I work as a CADD Operator with Colliers Engineering & Design while studying Civil Engineering Technology at Central Piedmont Community College. Most of my work involves Civil 3D and Bluebeam. I really enjoy taking field information and turning it into drawings that help teams build sites people can actually rely on. I take pride in knowing that the work I do is accurate and relied upon.

What I enjoy most is being useful at the core of a project. I like working through the heavier drafting tasks, figuring out how the different pieces fit together, and seeing something gradually come together. Surveying interests me because it allows me to model the earth while contributing to projects that have a real effect on people. Typically, that means establishing a clear property boundary or laying out infrastructure where and how it should be built.

I’m currently working toward becoming a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) in North Carolina and progressing through the Certified Survey Technician (CST) levels as I go. At the same time, I’m completing the educational requirements needed to pursue Professional Engineer (PE) licensure. I want to continue growing into work where technical knowledge carries real responsibility and where the quality of what I produce matters beyond the drawing itself.

Music is where I first learned to take that responsibility seriously. As a percussionist with Paradigm Percussion, I learned that there are no shortcuts once a performance begins. The preparation you did—or did not do—becomes excruciatingly obvious in real time, and the people around you depend on you knowing your part. That pressure and leadership shaped the way I approach my work today.

At the end of the day, I care about doing work I can stand behind and becoming someone others can rely on. This portfolio shows the projects, skills, and experiences that have shaped me so far, but more importantly, it reflects the kind of person and professional I’m working to become.