Learn the real skills needed for your civil engineering career.

Site Development Academy is an opportunity for engineers to advance their career by being exposed to the major aspects of residential and commercial development. The academy offers hands-on instruction from experienced engineers who do this work every day.

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Format
In-Person
Location
Atlanta, GA
Class Size
4–8 Students
Software
Civil 3D
The Field
Every building, road, and neighborhood
starts with site development.

Site development is the engineering discipline that takes a raw piece of ground and transforms it into a buildable site. Before a building gets designed, before utilities are installed, before a single foundation is poured, civil engineers in site development must shape the terrain, perform stormwater analysis, establish BMPs for erosion control, complete road design, and include other key essential aspects of design for the project to succeed.

The work lives inside Autodesk Civil 3D and contractors rely on the engineer to not only present the design adequately, but also to understand it well enough to explain design decisions and solve problems in the field. It's technical, it's precise, and it's the backbone of every site project.

The challenge is that most of this knowledge is passed down on the job — slowly, unevenly, and only if you're fortunate enough to have a good mentor. University programs cover theory. Firms expect production. The gap between those two realities is where careers stall.

Site Grading

Shaping the earth's surface to direct stormwater, support structures, and meet regulatory requirements.

Stormwater Management

Designing detention systems, outlet structures, and conveyance to manage rainfall on developed sites.

Road & Utility Design

Horizontal and vertical alignments, pipe profiles, and the infrastructure that connects every site to the public system.

Erosion Control

Protecting land during construction with plans that satisfy NPDES permits and keep projects on schedule.

See It In Action
Learn before you sign up.
Watch how we teach. The clips below are samples from actual lectures.
Feature Lines & Grading Groups
Polyline Grading
Watershed Delineation
Corridors
The Academy
Designed for engineers who
don't want to wait years to be useful.
The biggest disadvantage entry-level engineers encounter is that these skills take a while to master, but opportunities to learn are limited due to the fast-paced environment in this industry. The academy was created to solve this problem. We offer a stress-free class setting where people aren't pressured by deadlines and expectations that affect your income, rather we prioritize your understanding of concepts over quick production.
01

Practicing engineers, not professors

Your instructor works on real projects. The problems you solve in class are the same ones being solved at firms across Atlanta right now.

02

Your pace, not a client's

No arbitrary deadlines, no graded busywork. You move through the material as deeply as you need to, with direct support at every step.

03

Fundamentals that compound

The engineers who understand the fundamentals deeply are the ones who get trusted with real responsibility early. Everything builds from here.

04

Portfolio, not just knowledge

You leave with completed work you can show in interviews: tangible evidence that you understand what you're talking about.

05

Small class, real attention

The instructor is there solely for your questions and to provide you feedback. No Teams messages, meetings, clients, deadlines or other demands.

06

Confidence from day one

The academy ensures that you will be highly prepared to take on bigger responsibilities at your job. You will have all the resources you'll need for success.

Courses
A growing curriculum in
site development.
Each course covers a core discipline with the same approach: fundamentals first, hands-on practice, real-world application. Click any course to learn more.
Now Available

Fundamentals of Grading

Contour reading, polyline grading, Civil 3D surfaces, municipal codes, and quality control. Six weeks.

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Coming Soon

Erosion & Sediment Control

BMP selection, E&S plan design, NPDES compliance, and construction-ready documentation.

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Coming Soon

Site Planning

Zoning, setbacks, parking, circulation, and taking a project from concept through preliminary layout.

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Coming Soon

Road & Pipe Profiles

Horizontal and vertical alignment, profile design, pipe sizing, and cover calculations in Civil 3D.

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Coming Soon

Stormwater Management

Hydrology, detention and retention design, outlet structures, and stormwater modeling fundamentals.

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Future

More to come

New courses added based on industry need and student interest.

Instructor
Instructor

Eduardo Merino

Civil Engineer — Site Development

5 years of experience in construction and site development. I started out at a small company where I was forced to learn how to design a complete set of plans, which included existing conditions/demo, site, grading, utility, ESC, pipe profiles, road profiles, and construction details. I've managed and lead numerous projects that are built today. Now, I work at one of the biggest companies in the country where I have gained experience in affordable housing, scalable commercial sites, and massive solar renewables projects.

My focus is in Atlanta, but ongoing projects are nationwide.

FAQ
Common questions.

Do I need prior Civil 3D experience?

No. We cover the essentials as part of each course. Autodesk offers free educational licenses for students.

Who is this for?

Engineering students and early-career professionals who want practical, job-ready skills in site development.

What do I walk away with?

All lectures and assignments will be recorded during class. You will have access to these recordings, as well as the CAD files and PDFs, for the future. Great resource to have before you start a job or internship.

Where are classes held?

In-person in the greater Atlanta area. Exact location details are provided once you sign up.

What is the structure of the class and how much does it cost?

The class will begin with a 20-25 minute lecture of the topic we will cover, then we will go through a simple assignment together where the commands you need to know will be introduced. Afterwards, for the remaining hour and a half, students will attempt a harder version of the assignment we did together. The 6-week course is $500 per student.

Agency creates success.

Class sizes are limited. Sign up to learn more and talk to the instructor.

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