Learn More About AutoCAD Classes & Certifications in Baltimore
AutoCAD stands for computer-aided design, which involves technology that enables designers and drafters to create 2D and 3D drawings. It is an Autodesk application. A variety of professionals use AutoCAD in industries such as architecture, engineering, and construction. Drafters can apply their skills with AutoCAD to design accurate and detailed drawings. AutoCAD facilitates the easy design of drawings and blueprints that can be used for the process of constructing buildings, developing machines, or creating tools.
AutoCAD is commonly used to create models, blueprints to scale, and schematics. Engineers, Interior Designers, and Architects depend on AutoCAD for project management, architectural design, and engineering to enable 2D and 3D designs. Mainly, AutoCAD helps increase productivity and efficiency in work environments by providing more consistency than pen-and-paper drawing for generating designs. This means that designers and related professionals can more readily demonstrate work to potential clients who are looking for design services.
What Can You Do with AutoCAD Training?
For people looking for an advantage in today’s competitive labor market, learning AutoCAD can give them that advantage because they will gain the skills to work with a much sought-after tool. AutoCAD facilitates computer-aided design (CAD) to create models, blueprints to scale, and schematics. AutoCAD also helps increase productivity and efficiency by providing more consistency in the design process. In addition, computer-aided design helps professional designers work with clients to bring their ideas to reality.
For individuals looking for a skill that contributes to finding work in the thriving technology industry, AutoCAD provides a powerful drafting tool for streamlining drafting and design tasks. AutoCAD offers a definite asset for a career in design and engineering.
What Will I Learn in an AutoCAD Class?
Drafting
Drafting with AutoCAD involves creating drawings and technical models. These drawings and models are used by construction and design teams, Architects, and Engineers, as well as several other professionals involved in the construction and design process. AutoCAD can be used in drafting for converting designs created by Architects and Engineers into technically sound and accurate drawings and blueprints. Drawings and blueprints created with AutoCAD can be used for developing concepts as varied as buildings, automobiles, and tools.
Design
Designers use AutoCAD for creating 2D and 3D models that can help with producing detailed images used for work in interior design. That includes color schemes, spacing, and furniture placement. Industrial designers use AutoCAD for designing everything ranging from children’s toys to automobiles. AutoCAD helps designers see how a product may look or function, along with helping them figure out how that product might be made more attractive for appealing to customers. AutoCAD also facilitates developing prototypes for testing functionality, efficiency, and cost effectiveness.
Architecture
AutoCAD is a popular design tool used in architecture. Architects use AutoCAD to create floor plans and 3D designs with blueprints for residential homes, office buildings, and landscapes. AutoCAD facilitates designing realistic 3D models that give Architects ideas for surfaces and shapes when creating structures. AutoCAD helps with designing buildings by allowing users to see a design from several angles as well as letting them calculate load levels of support structures.
Engineering
Engineers can use AutoCAD for design and specification on a variety of projects, including designing motor engines, elevators, bridges, roads, and electrical grids. AutoCAD helps Engineers prototype to test how a design might perform in the real world. Aerospace Engineers and Aviation Designers, for example, use AutoCAD to design aircraft parts as well as to conduct simulations. Materials Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Civil Engineers, and Industrial Engineers use AutoCAD in several capacities for developing, completing, and testing designs.
Animation
AutoCAD can also be used to create animations that demonstrate how a product might function in the real world. Designers, Engineers, and Architects can use AutoCAD for animating with simulations and prototyping. For example, animation allows designers to create simulations and visualizations for everything from architectural designs to engineering projects.
How Hard Is It to Learn AutoCAD?
For people with no experience in computer-aided design, learning AutoCAD may be challenging. However, this does not mean that learning the design software will be impossible. Despite difficulties, new learners who are comfortable with using computers should be able to pick up skills for using AutoCAD with practice over time. Learning AutoCAD requires understanding the software’s abundance of functions, commands, and options, which may overwhelm the faint of heart.
How Long Does It Take to Learn AutoCAD?
As with learning anything related to technology, the time it may take to learn AutoCAD can vary greatly. For example, initial training in AutoCAD may take only a few hours, while more advanced training could take several months. Mastering the application may take a year or more.
Should I Learn AutoCAD In Person or Online?
In-person classes allow for personal interactions with classmates and instructors, as well as being shielded from distractions from the outside world. On the other hand, live online courses allow students to learn from home by gaining the same level of education that they would get from sitting inside a classroom. Learning AutoCAD can open up paths to several careers related to design and prototyping. AutoCAD can be used as a tool that helps with finding work in design, engineering, and architecture, as well as other professions related to design and drafting. AutoCAD offers a versatile design tool that can help with designing, prototyping, and animation concepts for a variety of purposes in several industries. AutoCAD is widely considered the industry-standard CAD software.
AutoCAD Certification and Certificate Programs in Baltimore
Anyone who has been contemplating training in AutoCAD might want to consider enrolling in a certificate training program or passing a certification exam that verifies expertise with the computer-aided design software. To be clear, certificate programs and certifications are not the same thing. Certificate programs can provide hands-on training in AutoCAD that can provide prospective Designers, Architects, and Engineers with skills for using the design software professionally. Education providers offer a variety of AutoCAD-related certificate programs.
In contrast, gaining certification requires passing an exam administered by an industry-recognized organization. Anyone thinking about certification in AutoCAD can do so through Autodesk, the company that manufactures the software, which offers several paths to certification. Autodesk offers four levels of AutoCAD certification, beginning with Autodesk Certified User (ACU), which verifies that a person has entry-level skills for working with AutoCAD software. The Autodesk Certified Associate (ACA) certifies that a person has a higher level of knowledge and skills with AutoCAD. The Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP) confirms an individual’s skills with AutoCAD, including capabilities for solving complex problems with workflows and designs related to the software. Finally, Autodesk Certified Expert (ACE) represents the highest level of certification in AutoCAD design for experienced professionals who demonstrate in-depth knowledge and abilities for working with CAD. While certificate programs and certifications are not the same, enrolling in certificate training can help with passing certification exams.
Baltimore Industries That Use AutoCAD
Baltimore is among the best-established cities in the United States for research and development due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., along with schools like Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland being available within the metropolitan area. Major industries operating in Baltimore include transportation, construction, manufacturing, education, healthcare, financial services, and information technology. Many of these industries are looking for people with skills in computer-aided design to effectively design, build, and construct products and structures for a variety of customers and clients. Being able to apply skills with AutoCAD in Baltimore can help establish careers for turning concepts into reality in a variety of industries, such as architecture, engineering, and other areas of design. Listed below are industries that can benefit from people with training in AutoCAD:
Architecture
AutoCAD provides an essential tool in architecture, as many Architects use the design software to create blueprints during the construction process. AutoCAD helps architects from both an artistic and technical standpoint in designing structures. AutoCAD offers a versatile tool in architecture for designing the interior of homes, commercial buildings, and other types of structures.
Architectural-related businesses depend on AutoCAD for resolving complex issues involved with the design process for creating buildings. AutoCAD helps with drafting in architecture for taking ideas from the drawing stage to creating detailed blueprints. Architects can use AutoCAD features and functions for layering, rotation, scaling, and mirroring for rendering 2D or 3D models when designing the interior and exterior of buildings. Architectural firms in Baltimore include Hord Coplan Macht and Ayers Saint Gross.
Aviation Industry
The aviation industry uses AutoCAD for streamlining the design process involved with creating and producing aircraft and aircraft parts that depend on precision to assure safety for preserving lives. Aircraft manufacturers use AutoCAD for producing detailed and reliable parts through 3D modeling to ensure that intricate designs for components work as expected. Using AutoCAD includes testing for durability before any part moves forward to production, especially when considering recent incidents involving small parts failing, which include a door falling off a plane and a fuel line malfunctioning. Designing and prototyping with AutoCAD helps ensure that products work and fit properly. Additionally, the aviation industry uses AutoCAD in planning airport layouts for designing runways, taxiways, and gates. Aviation companies Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman both have a large presence in Baltimore.
Manufacturing Industry
The manufacturing industry–such as Baltimore’s Constellation Energy and McCormick & Company–depends on AutoCAD for help with designing, prototyping, and testing concepts during product design. Several companies use AutoCAD to develop prototypes for testing the functions of a product design before committing to producing an item. Prototyping allows manufacturers to efficiently make changes or improvements to a product before initiating large-scale production. Options for prototyping, animation, and simulation features available with AutoCAD help companies see in detail how a product might function in the real world.
Companies also rely on AutoCAD for designing and developing the machinery and production facilities used for building a variety of products. AutoCAD helps with precise measurements for producing items like tools or parts for ensuring that components fit together properly. Additionally, Engineers working in the manufacturing industry use AutoCAD to avoid complications during the design stage to facilitate a seamless process once a product has been approved for production.
Interior Design
Interior design is an industry that works in shaping indoor living spaces and workspaces to a client’s specifications. AutoCAD offers a versatile tool that helps with interior design by giving Interior Designers and clients a sneak peek at what a concept will look like. AutoCAD allows Interior Designers to turn ideas into reality by visualizing the insides of homes, commercial buildings, and other types of structures.
Interior design companies use AutoCAD for creating floor plans, elevations, and 3D models for developing concepts. Professionals can use features available with AutoCAD to make accurate measurements and material estimations on interior design projects. AutoCAD helps Interior Designers visualize a design to see what practical changes might need to be made before moving forward on a project.
AutoCAD Job Titles and Salaries in Baltimore
For individuals looking for an advantage in today’s competitive tech labor market, learning AutoCAD can be a good choice. With AutoCAD skills, a person has plenty of career options available in a city like Baltimore for working in design and engineering within various industries. Listed below are several occupations that benefit from skills in AutoCAD:
CAD Designer
A CAD Designer must possess skills in AutoCAD for creating 2D and 3D models for working on a variety of projects. This profession requires technical skills and expertise in design and drafting. People with skills in AutoCAD can help in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, engineering, and product development. Throughout Baltimore, a CAD Designer can earn an annual income ranging from $48,000 to $84,000.
Architect
Architects develop construction plans based on client specifications, which include creating designs for structural systems; central air, heating, and ventilation systems; electrical systems; and plumbing. Architects can use skills with AutoCAD for designing and building structures as part of their job by creating construction drawings and blueprints. Working as an Architect includes hand-drawing plans as well as designing blueprints during the conceptual stages of project development. Architects working in Baltimore can make between $56,000 and $101,000 a year.
Industrial Designer
Industrial Designers can use AutoCAD to help with making design concepts into reality for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, automotive, and engineering. Industrial design requires creative skills, business acumen, and engineering knowledge for designing everyday products for everyday use. Industrial Designers have responsibilities for designing aesthetically pleasing products, estimating production costs, and developing ergonomically efficient products. Industrial Designers can earn an annual income ranging from around $58,000 to $97,000 in Baltimore.
Materials Engineer
Materials Engineers are responsible for developing, processing, and testing materials used for creating everything from auto parts to computer chips to medical devices. Materials Engineers must have knowledge of metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, and nanomaterials, along with other types of materials, for work involving mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering. Materials Engineers who have a background in AutoCAD can earn from $77,000 to $153,000 a year working in Baltimore.
AutoCAD Classes in Baltimore
Noble Desktop offers an AutoCAD Bootcamp that covers the fundamentals of this application. Lessons cover AutoCAD functions as well as advanced drafting techniques. You will start with beginner-level AutoCAD training to learn about basic drawing and modification techniques with drafting and technical drawing, along with how to use AutoCAD for designing real-world objects for mechanical and architectural projects. The intermediate portion of this course focuses on learning how to create and edit simple drawings. Upon completing this bootcamp, you will have a basic understanding of CAD. This course has been designed for PC users, so while Mac users can enroll, they should be aware that the Mac AutoCAD interface differs from the PC interface, which will be the format used with training. This course offers additional 1-on-1 mentoring outside of class as well as an opportunity to retake the course for free within one year.
People in Baltimore can enroll at NYC Career Centers for courses like the live online AutoCAD Masterclass for beginner, intermediate, and advanced-level training with the computer-aided design software. The beginner’s portion of this class trains students on the fundamentals of AutoCAD. Beginner-level lessons cover how to create drawings, work with the interface, and learn basic drawing and editing commands. The intermediate section of this program focuses on improving productivity for working more efficiently through learning the productivity tools, blocks, parametric drawing, and advanced layouts through lessons on how to create and organize blocks using templates, layouts, and styles. Finally, with the advanced section of this course, students will learn about text objects, tables, blocks, and attributes for customizing the user interface.
Anyone living in Baltimore who is considering picking up skills in AutoCAD can enroll for live online training through NYIM Training with the AutoCAD in a Day workshop. This course introduces students to AutoCAD through lessons that cover basic drawing and modifying techniques with drafting and technical drawing using AutoCAD for creating designs that can be used for building physical objects with mechanical and architectural projects. This is a beginner-friendly course geared towards people who have no prior experience with CAD. This is a PC-only course that may not be appropriate for Mac users. This workshop offers additional 1-on-1 mentoring outside of class as well as the opportunity to retake the course for free within one year.
Noble Desktop also offers the AutoCAD Certification Program. This comprehensive certificate program provides you with training ranging from beginner to advanced levels for learning the computer-aided design software with the goal of passing the Autodesk Certified Professional in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting exam, which includes free retakes. Your training will begin with learning basic drawing and editing commands before building on that knowledge to move on to learning higher-level techniques, including using collaboration tools, customizing, and macros. This 54-hour comprehensive training program includes six hours of private tutoring. This course offers additional 1-on-1 mentoring outside of calls as well as an opportunity to retake the program for free within one year.
Self-guided AutoCAD Programs
Students who are looking to make a career out of using AutoCAD might also be interested in their options for career-focused, self-guided classes. These courses allow students to learn at their own pace (with guidance and assistance from a professional mentor) and provide students with career-focused training and job placement support. While many students find it desirable to learn from a live instructor, these self-paced classes are the perfect fit for self-motivated students looking to make a career out of their AutoCAD training.
The Visual Design and Construction Institute (VDCI) offers an immersive AutoCAD Certificate Program that aims to help students become career-ready within only a few weeks of training. This program provides students with hands-on, job-focused training in the use of AutoCAD, and the course is designed with new students in mind, meaning that you’ll move from your first construction draft to a capstone project to add to your professional portfolio over the course of the certificate program. This program also offers students the opportunity to take up to 80 hours of electives to help them specialize in subjects including Revit, SketchUp, and Civil 3D Pro. With this option for specialization and the focus on career development training, this certificate program is an ideal entry point for aspiring designers, architects, and engineers looking to learn how to use AutoCAD in a professional capacity.
Students looking for an accelerated introduction to AutoCAD and computer-aided design generally may be interested in taking AutoCAD Fundamentals, an introductory course offered by VDCI. Students will learn the basics of using AutoCAD and practical skills that they can bring back to their current jobs or use as the baseline for future CAD training (including some of the other advanced classes offered through VDCI). In this class, students will get live, hands-on instruction in the use of AutoCAD, including exercises in which they create drafting symbols, kitchens and bath fixtures, a floor plan, and deliverable file sheets. While you’ll need more training if you want to make a career out of your AutoCAD skills, this course is an excellent introduction to the kinds of projects that AutoCAD professionals will need to utilize.
If you have already taken the AutoCAD fundamentals program or you have experience with AutoCAD from another source, you may be interested in moving towards professional-level training in the AutoCAD Professional program. In this program, students will learn how to create 2D designs for construction documents that meet all of the necessary and legal standards that they are expected to follow. This course offers practical skills training and is designed to ensure that experienced AutoCAD users are able to get the accelerated training that they need to start using the application in more complex professional capacities. This course is built to help students learn at their own pace, and class scheduling is incredibly flexible for professionals looking to develop new skills while still working.
AutoCAD Corporate Training
If you would like to make sure that your employees stay on top of cutting-edge technology, Noble Desktop offers a variety of corporate training programs through onsite and live online options. Because AutoCAD is the leading computer-aided design software used in various industries, it may be worthwhile to train your staff for skills in drafting, blueprints, and working with 2D and 3D design, especially if your business involves manufacturing, engineering, or architecture. Noble Desktop can help you with upskilling your workforce through corporate AutoCAD training. This means that you can either have training conducted at your location or live online through a teleconferencing platform like Zoom. Your company also has the option to purchase vouchers for Noble Desktop’s public enrollment AutoCAD courses.
If you’re looking to enhance your organization’s skills with CAD, contact Noble Desktop for more information at corporate@nobledesktop.com or to request a free consultation.