Having a computer aided design education can create a lot of business opportunities. A business with CAD design training and experience can find work in many industries, from interior design, fashion design and product design to engineering and architecture.

There are many courses of action one can take in computer aided design training, and even options for novice CAD users. Consider the following when choosing the right computer aided design (CAD) education and training for beginners:

1. Think about whether a CAD training certification would benefit your business.

2. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of a self-taught or correspondence computer aided design education.

3. Determine a budget to spend or an amount the business is willing to invest in CAD training.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Go to a beginner-level CAD class

A beginner-level CAD class from a learning institution is a great place to start if CAD drafting is going to be an essential part of your career or business. The classroom is the best way to learn with hands-on training, visual demonstrations and feedback from instructors. Most classroom programs award certificates upon completion.

I recommend: ITT Technical Institute has locations across the nation, and offers beginner-level CAD training that is the starting point toward an associate or bachelor's degree. Take beginner-level courses that work toward a professional certificate from Lincoln Educational Services.

Learn CAD design with video tutorials

There are many video tutorials on basic CAD drafting, which is a good starting point for those who already have a grasp on hand drafting or are simply curious about CAD. Some tutorials are free and may be worth watching before starting training, but some courses cost a fee and are in-depth.

I recommend: Marrutt Software Training offers in-depth video tutorials for around $125 on the most recent version of AutoCAD, and free video tutorials on older versions. Sketch-Plus.com offers a series of online instructional video tutorials for different versions of AutoCAD.

Take an online CAD course

There are great online courses available for beginner CAD training, ranging from free to high fees depending on the quality of training. If you are already computer savvy and can learn well as a self-starter, online courses are ideal for scheduling flexibility.

I recommend: CAD International offers beginner-level online training courses that lead toward a certification; try a free demo on their website. The CAD Correspondence Institute is a quality in-depth training program that awards a certificate upon completion of the program.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your business is paying for CAD training, research to find places that are certified and have the credentials of a technical school.

CAD education, as is all education, can be an individualized process today. No longer do students just register at the local technical institute or college and start classes. The choices and options for training and education are many. There are online courses, certifications, mentorships and free CAD tutorials. There are also two-year colleges and tech schools.

The student today needs to look at the equation at a deeper level and ask questions, “Do I need a diploma for my career?” or, “Do I need a quick and rigorous program to get me into the workforce quickly—accredited or not?” You can find good non-accredited training. There are plenty of con artists on the web offering less than sterling classes, however. Buyer beware. Consider the following when looking for computer aided design training:

1. Go to a two-year college or tech school for CAD design training.

2. Find a rigorous online CAD class.

3. Use free tutorials, forums and other CAD resources.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Attend a college program for CAD education

Go to an established school for a good education, degree or certification that will hold up under scrutiny. Fully accredited schools will give you something no one can take from you. Most two-year colleges and tech schools offer classes in computer-aided drafting.

I recommend: Attend a school like ITT Technical Institute for CAD. ITT is in San Antonio and offers an Associates Degree for CAD. North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is a two-year college that offers classes in CAD.

Take a rigorous computer aided design classes online

There are many fine training programs online. Look for testimonials and professional looking websites. There are as many or more low standard programs and even scams online, as well. Find the great programs by researching, asking questions and scrutinizing.

I recommend: CADD Train has online AutoCAD training courses. You can also get CAD training online with CAD Institute.

Use forums, free tutorials and other resources to further your CAD education

Do research and define your needs by doing a little research and networking on the web. You will find lots of free information and people who will answer questions.

I recommend: Network with other CAD users and students at CADforum. MY CAD SITE offers free online CAD tutorials. Many CAD users will tell you that a real program or class is the best way to learn CAD. Go to A2ZColleges and find a two-year college near you where you can take a CAD class.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Training programs and schools have popped up all over the Internet. It's a great opportunity for convenient computer aided design education. However, watch the fine print. Look at the testimonials. Check Better Business Bureaus. Check prices and make sure the school is not too expensive compared to other schools, and that it offers a good solid program.
• •  Go to forums and talk to other CAD users. Most of these users advise real courses, hands-on with instructors with credentials for your training. Also, look at your industry or field, because CAD is complex and can perform a wide variety of functions for different job settings. College courses will give you the big picture, and later you can home in on your specialty.

Computer Aided Design (CAD) education and training is an ongoing process, because the CAD field is constantly evolving with the advancements in software and technology. In order to stay current, design technicians should seek Auto CAD training yearly. With each new release of an updated version of the software, computer aided design training is made available to industry professionals.

For more information about computer aided design (CAD) education and training news and trends, consider the following:

1. Stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends with online or print publications tailored to the industry.

2. Receive custom email notifications about the latest CAD programs to hit the market, and take advantage of free trial software versions to stay on the cutting edge of the current trends in technology.

3. Learn CAD or enhance your computer aided design education level by going to seminars.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read up on current trends in computer aided design training

Visit online blogs and newsgroups, or subscribe to industry magazines and trade journals to find CAD education and resources for professionals in the field as well as the latest software advancements.

I recommend: CADdigest.com offers a wealth of fresh articles and resources for design professionals, such as product release information and reviews, tips and tricks, tutorials and free downloads. AutoCAD Insider is a blog featuring upcoming industry events, news about technological advancements, and answers to Auto CAD questions from an experienced design professional. Cadalyst is a free monthly magazine available in print or online in digital format for your convenience. It features a CAD manager column, CAD cartoons, CAD news and Auto CAD training resources.

Sign up for email updates about CAD training news and software updates

Enter your contact information, and answer the basic questions about your software use to start receiving emails about upcoming program releases and updates. Try the software before you buy with one of the free trial offers available.

I recommend: Autodesk allows you to sign up for email notifications to inform you about new product releases and software updates to keep you on the cutting edge of available industry technology. Applied Engineering has a large selection of popular Auto CAD programs, which offer free trials so you can test drive the software before you purchase it.

Attend CAD design training seminars to stay on top of industry trends

Computer aided design seminars, also referred to as CAD Camps, are a great way to stay up-to-date on industry trends, as well as network with other CAD technicians. They provide CAD classes all day, which cover everything from general CAD use to utilizing advanced features of specific software. Engineering companies continuing to switch from manual drafting and design to computer aided design software creates the opportunity for people with little to no experience to break into the field easily.

I recommend: AUGI (Autodesk User Group International) lists information about upcoming CAD camps for design technicians, as well as information about their design academy located in London, England. CADtech Seminars offer seminars across the nation to maximize Auto CAD efficiency for beginners.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Networking with other professionals in the field is one of the best ways to stay abreast of the current news and trends.

Computer Aided Design, also known as CAD, is simply drafting and design done on a computer versus paper, as was once the traditional medium. Individuals with CAD knowledge find employment in engineering, architectural and interior design firms.

Individuals can obtain Computer Aided Design education and training from a variety of resources. One can learn Computer Aided Design in a classroom environment or through online courses, CAD certification programs, CAD degree programs, tutorials and user tips and tricks forums.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

On-site Computer Aided Design (CAD) education

One can learn Computer Aided Design (CAD) on-site in a classroom environment at a community college or technical institute, where they learn to use equipment such as light tables, parallel edges, micro-CAD terminals, drafting instruments and scales.

I recommend: Refer to the ITT Technical Institute website for information regarding on-site Computer Aided Design education.

Online Computer Aided Design (CAD) education

Online courses enable individuals completing continuing education programs a degree of flexibility and convenience in terms of completing coursework. For example, an individual with children can maintain quality family time and complete coursework after the kids have gone to bed. Another benefit of online courses is that individuals can complete coursework at their own pace, often at a cheaper price than other education alternatives.

I recommend: For more information on online Computer Aided Design courses, refer to CADD Train website.

Computer Aided Design certification programs

Individuals may attend Computer Aided Design education and training programs from experienced CAD drafting/design professionals that award certificates at the end of completion.

I recommend: Refer to the CAD Correspondence Institute for more information on their CAD certificate programs.

Computer Aided Design Associate's Degree programs

Individuals may participate in Computer Aided Design programs that enable them to earn an Associate's Degree upon successful completion of all program requirements.

I recommend: For more information on CAD Associate Degree programs, refer to the DegreeDirectory website.

Computer Aided Design tutorials

Computer Aided Design Tutorials allow individuals to learn concepts at their own pace and spend as much time as necessary on concepts they may have problems grasping. Tutorials begin with basic concepts such as inputting points, learning terminology and modifying commands to intermediate concepts such as aligning and rotating, working with text and 3-D objects to advanced topics such as inquiry tools, using template files and customizing AutoCad.

I recommend: Refer to MY CAD SITE for information on free online tutorials.

Computer Aided Design user tips and tricks forums

CAD user tips and tricks forums are an effective method for an individual to learn from others how to perform procedures such as creating points and polylines from Excel coordinates, how to break curves, copying views and converting file formats.

I recommend: For more information, refer to CAD Forum’s Tips and Tricks Forum webpage.