[ARampantBrian]

Also, in my opinion, I think it is beneficial for at least most of the mechanical subteam of FIRST teams, if not all of them, to at least know how to 2D model stuff in CAD. I have found it is very helpful for students to be able to model their ideas in a 2D sketch and put dimensions on drawings so they can see how things need to fit together or see how big a component will be before it is made.

It's really good for the students because they can explain their ideas better and how it fits into the robot as well as helps them understand that sometimes components won't work due to size constrictions that they wouldn't otherwise be able to visualize.

Anyway, good luck to you guys with your CAD team! Solidworks is my preference, but as others have mentioned, Inventor is a easy to jump into as well.