CAD training in the current environment

[DHUDELSON]

Hello, I've been a rather infrequent visitor here, since joining in 2013, typically only showing up like a needy relative when I needed help. 
So now I'm looking for ideas and perspective regarding how best to proceed with hiring a dedicated CAD person to our Civil Engineering firm.  When I first started in the biz, I'd taken a concentrated daily CAD class at the local Com. College, no knowing diddly about Civil Engineering, but reasonably well-versed in basic CAD (R13). Upon my hiring, I then got mentored also took classes in Land Desktop, while I began absorbing all the drafting facets of Civil Engineering, and eventually got to where I do design site plans, roads, pipes, grading, etc...  A lot of "engineery" stuff without the certificate.
Times have changed a lot from when the old guys were marking up redlines on paper, to give to the CAD guy, and we haven't been hiring dedicated CAD guys for ages and ages. With Civil 3D being a powerful design tool, the newer crop of engineers all do their design work in CAD.  They've typically had some CAD training in school, but I'm pretty surprised by how much basic drawing ability often do not have. .. like a lot of basic commands of which they're not aware, so they figure out some fudgey way instead, that *may* work - but is not quite right, when that lane is actually at 12.0154' - you know what I'm saying...
SO... I'm riding off into the sunset, this coming June, and what's the best strategy for filling my shoes? As I head out the door, our Geologist/IT guy is getting pretty close to retirement himself, so we might hire a person with general geek ability, who would then need to get proficient in earning their CAD guru hat as well - both basic CAD skills and Civil 3D, able to trouble-shoot, maintain standards, mentor engineers on the CAD side. 
I'm wondering what other smaller firms, in a similar situation, are doing?