CAD Career
Architects, engineers, landscapers, industrial designers, and even fashion designers used to do all their design work by hand at drafting tables. And while modeling and sketching by hand are still important skills, the day-to-day work of producing detailed drawings falls primarily to computer-aided design, or CAD.
Not only does CAD enable drafters and designers to create, store, and edit drawings electronically and program them directly into automated manufacturing systems, but it allows users to prepare variations of designs or make changes instantly. So wherever your drafting interests lie - whether they're in architecture, engineering, aeronautics, industrial design, or fashion design - you'll need training in CAD to make your career a success.
Sketches of Your CAD Training
Your CAD training, whether it's through a certificate, diploma, or two-year degree program, will provide you with the math and drawing skills you'll need to take measurements, specifications, and hand-drawn sketches and represent them as three-dimensional objects on a computer. Your courses may include architectural drafting, building codes, business and technical writing, product design, or technical drawing.
Creating a CAD Career
Most employers of drafters require two years of postsecondary training in CAD or drafting systems. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 49 percent of drafters work in architectural, engineering, or related services, designing structures. Roughly 25 percent work in manufacturing. With CAD training, you may go to work as a drafter or drafter's assistant in such a firm, or with further professional training (at least a bachelor's degree), you may eventually go on to work as an architect, engineer, or industrial designer.
The Following Schools Provide Educational Programs For Cad Careers:
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