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CAD Training: Drafting the Structures of Tomorrow

If you are interested in drafting and designing, then CAD training may be a suitable path for you. AutoCAD is a computer software application that is used by architects, facility planners, interior designers, engineers, and those employed in the construction industry to create two and three-dimensional plans. Plans can be made to design buildings, room designs or machinery.

CAD Certification Overview

For those individuals who would like to become a drafter or sharpen their existing drafting skills, enrolling in a CAD certification program may be a good option. Employers in a diverse range of organizations require those with CAD experience, and as such, receiving formal CAD training could improve your job prospects and ultimately increase your earning potential.

In order to enroll in a CAD training program, students are typically required to be high school graduates and may find it helpful to have some prior experience in drafting. Designed to help prepare students to support the work of qualified architects and engineers, CAD training can be part of a stand-alone short-term CAD certification program or as part of an undergraduate degree program in drafting.

Typically, students will study computer aided design and drafting in both a theoretical and practical manner, so that they can become proficient in using the software. Courses are generally offered on a part-time basis and many schools offer them online.

Drafting Employment Prospects

A student who has completed CAD training generally finds work as a drafter, most commonly in architectural and civil practices. Architectural drafters prepare drawings of the structural features of buildings, whereas civil drafters draw the specs for civil engineering projects, which may include highways and bridges.

Other employment options within drafting are mechanical drafting, which involves drawings that assist in the assembly of machinery and mechanical devices, and electrical drafting, which involves diagramming the various electrical equipment and wiring needed for a building’s electrical systems to operate. Computer hardware engineers may also use CAD to create prototypes of computer components.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the employment demand for drafters will increase slightly through 2018, with the highest being in architectural and civil drafting at 9%. The BLS also reports that the median annual wages for drafting positions are as follows:

  • Architectural and civil drafters - $44,490
  • Mechanical drafters - $46,640
  • Electrical and electronics drafters - $51,320

If you are interested in receiving CAD training, then start exploring CAD certification programs on our site. To find out more about a particular school or program, request for additional information today.

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