AutoCAD is probably the world’s most popular software that is produced by Autodesk, Inc. It is a computer-aided drafting software program. Just about anything that is able to be drawn on a drawing board can be drawn more efficiently and quickly on AutoCAD.
Learning
The AutoCAD drafting school is there to teach its students to prepare technical drawing and plans used by construction and production workers to build everything from manufactured products such as toasters, spacecraft, toys, industrial machinery to structures such as office buildings, houses, and gas and oil pipelines.
These drawings are able to provide visual guidelines, in order to show the technical details of the structures and products, as well as specify materials, dimensions, and procedures. There are a lot of CAD drafter jobs in the world today.
In the olden days, when you thought of a drafter, you pictured him or her as sitting at drawing boards and using pencils, compasses, triangles, pens, protractors and other drafting devices in order to prepare a drawing manually. Now most drafters use AutoCAD while they are preparing for CAD drafter jobs.
When you learn to draft with AutoCAD, it is not quite as easy as learning to use a home computer or a word processor. That is why today’s employers prefer applicants who have already completed postsecondary school training in drafting. If you look at a curriculum of a college or university, you will find that it also teaches AutoCAD as part of its curriculum. Upon graduation, the counseling team may also help you find CAD drafter jobs in your area.
An AutoCAD drafting school that is worth its salt is able to teach the skills that employers have the most interest in, including the following: well-developed drafting, knowledge of drafting standards, science, a solid background in Computer-aided design, mechanical-drawing, mathematics, engineering technology and drafting techniques. With good training, you will most likely find excellent CAD dafter jobs.
College Training
Today’s employers are looking for applicants who will have had some computer training in the areas of AutoCAD for them to be on their team. Here are several colleges and universities you may want to think about applying to:
- International Academy of Design & Technology, Chicago, IL
- St. John’s University, Queens, NY
- International Academy of Design and Technology, Orlando, FL
- American InterContinental University
Is AutoCAD/Drafting Right for You?
CAD operators, in a sense, help build the world. They help to create things as tiny as action figures and as gigantic as a 100-story skyscraper. CAD operators are able to turn designs into reality.
Some other jobs are Interaction designer, Java Developer, Senior Network Engineer, Software Development Engineer, .NET Developer, Project Manager, Web/Application Administrator, and Senior Oracle Applications Developer.
Payscale
There are many types of jobs that a AutoCAD operator can branch off into. Salary would be commensurate with their duties.
- CAD Operator - $38,000 yearly
- Engineer CAD designer - $68,000 yearly
- D Drafter - $45,000 yearly
- Draftsman - $43,000 yearly
- Structural designer - $63,000 yearly
- AutoCAD operator - $35,000 yearly
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that approximately 216,000 people held CAD drafter jobs in 2002. Civil and architectural drafters held approximately half of all of the jobs for drafters and mechanical and electronics drafters held the other half.
AutoCAD drafting usually has a pleasant work environment and most people who have these jobs work a standard 40-hour work week. Due to their spending a great deal of time in front of the computer, an AutoCAD drafter may be susceptible to back discomfort, eyestrain, and wrist and hand problems.
In conclusion, you have seen through this article what an AutoCAD drafter does, a sample list of colleges for him or her to explore, what types of jobs may be helped in that field as well as the salaries of an AutoCAD drafter. As with any type of job there can be drawbacks, those have also been listed at the end of the article.