CAD technician jobs

Technicians that work with computer-aided design (CAD) put their expertise in engineering, information technology, and mathematics to use while designing structures, machines, goods, and components.

Creating technical drawings and plans, also known as draughting, for products and parts used in the engineering, construction, and manufacturing industries is the responsibility of a CAD technician, who is also known as a draughtsperson. A CAD technician uses computer-aided design (CAD) software to accomplish this task.

You will collaborate with design engineers and architects to determine the needs of their preliminary designs and then translate those requirements into precise and thorough technical drawings in the form of 2D and 3D models. These drawings are used throughout the whole of the project, beginning with the estimation of costs and feasibility and continuing through the development of production blueprints and installation instructions.

If you are interested in CAD, you may also be interested in more specialized areas where it is used in other industries, such as computer-aided industrial design (CAID), computer-aided engineering (CAE), computer-aided styling (CAS), and computer-aided manufacturing design. These are all examples of areas where CAD is utilized (CAM).

Other job titles that are relevant to this field include:

design technician

Technologist in building information modeling (also known as BIM)

a person who works in architecture

graphic designer

product designer

engineering or industrial designer

a person who works in construction services.

Different kinds of labor

CAD technicians typically find employment in the engineering, manufacturing, and construction industries, and they specialize in a particular technical field, such as mechanical, electrical, structural, control and instrumentation, or piping design. CAD software is used to create computer-aided designs (CADs).

You'll also have the ability to put your CAD abilities to use in a variety of roles within the creative sector, such as set and interior design.

Responsibilities

To be a successful CAD technician or draftsperson, you will need to be able to:

based on designs provided by architects and designers, produce high-quality comprehensive technical drawings and plans, as well as make revisions to existing drawings.

Make use of a number of different CAD software programs in order to produce designs in both 2D and 3D models.

maintain communication with architects, engineers, and designers to get an understanding of their design needs, as well as providing manufacturing and construction professionals with technical guidance.

kindly provide drawings that are precise, detailed, and to scale.

Make sure that the designs are in accordance with the health and safety guidelines as well as industry standards.

Check the viability of the product's creation and construction by calculating the associated expenses, as well as using your understanding of materials and engineering concepts.

carry out site inspections and field research as necessary.

provide workable drawings that may be used throughout the whole of the project, including the bid stage, manufacturing/construction, and installation.

paperwork for installation and production should be produced.

Ensure that correct records are kept.

Salary

Location, employer, and years of experience all play a role in determining salaries.

Beginning earnings for CAD technicians typically fall somewhere in the range of £17,000 to £20,000.

This may increase to anywhere between $20,000 and $35,000 with sufficient expertise.

CAD technicians with senior or chartered status may make between £35,000 and £50,000 annually.

Figures about income received from Go Construct. The numbers are simply meant to serve as a guide.

Time spent working

The standard workweek runs from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., however in order to fulfill certain project deadlines, additional hours of work and overtime may be necessary.

There are a variety of opportunities for employment on a freelance basis.

What may be anticipated

CAD technicians often work in offices and must be able to sit for extended amounts of time at a computer or drawing desk while maintaining a high level of focus.

You won't always be working on your own, and there is a possibility that you'll be part of a group that consists of other technicians, architects, contractors, or design engineers.

In most cases, you will be required to meet in person with customers and designers in order to grasp the needs they have for a design. It's also possible that you'll be assisting designers, manufacturers, and engineers with technical guidance while they're working on building sites.

You could be expected to go to construction sites or manufacturing facilities, depending on the sector in which you work and the job you have. It's possible that you'll spend the whole of a project working out of the office of a construction site.

The job is project-based, and there is a possibility that you may have to work under tight deadlines and provide last-minute updates or revisions to the plans. You can potentially be expected to work on many different projects at the same time.

Qualifications

You may get the skills necessary to work as a CAD technician by completing an applicable degree program, college course, or apprenticeship.

Although having a degree is not required to work as a CAD technician or draftsperson, having one may give information that is applicable to the engineering and technical aspects of the job. Degrees in all branches of engineering, architecture, manufacturing, information technology, and design are all appropriate.

Graduates may obtain jobs as entry-level CAD technicians or draftspeople to acquire experience in the field before moving on to further technical positions such as design engineers, civil engineers, or architectural professionals.

The primary path to obtaining a job as a CAD technician is to complete an apprenticeship or an advanced apprenticeship in engineering design and drafting or computer-aided design with a company that employs people in those fields.

You will have the option to study toward a qualification while simultaneously getting work-based experience and training with an employer if you choose to become an apprentice. Apprenticeships typically require candidates to have a minimum of five General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) passes with grades ranging from A* to C (or the equivalent), including English, mathematics, and a technical subject. Look at starting an apprenticeship.

You also have the option of getting a higher-level certification by completing a course at a higher level, such as a BTEC or HND in computer-aided design.

Skills

You'll need to make sure you have:

a comprehension of engineering concepts in addition to the capacity to both produce and understand technical drawings

Knowledge of information technology as well as expertise utilizing computer-aided design programs like Autocad and Solidworks

the capability of transferring, displaying, and manipulating your work using programs such as Microsoft Office and others.

careful attention to detail in order to produce precise and thorough drawings and to verify the correctness and quality of the work produced by other colleagues

The ability to communicate with customers and other engineers and architects, as well as to create relationships with them, is necessary for being able to comprehend and interpret their designs.

collaboration is vital since you will be dealing with other CAD professionals and draughtspersons on projects, thus the ability to work well with others is essential.

management of one's time and resources in order to meet job requirements and project deadlines

a malleable strategy for making decisions, the ability to make changes to designs in a moment's notice

abilities in mathematics for the purpose of carrying out computations and making estimations

the ability to visualize projects in both two and three dimensions requires spatial and design abilities.

problem-solving, creative thinking, and innovative methods are required in order to provide workable solutions to design issues.

a familiarity with the necessary health and safety regulations in order to design in accordance with sector standards.

Freehand drawing abilities and the ability to utilize draughting tools may still be relevant for some positions, despite the fact that CAD software is virtually always used to do technical drawing tasks nowadays.

Practice in the workplace

In most cases, prospective employers want appropriate technical expertise as well as previous experience using CAD software.

Students enrolled in relevant degree programs may take advantage of the internship opportunities provided by large engineering and construction organizations, both during the summer and during the academic year. These may offer you with experience in the business as well as opportunity to utilize computer-aided design tools on projects that are based on the real world.

Apprenticeships provide on-the-job training with businesses as well as the opportunity to obtain experience in the field while working toward a certification. Apprenticeships are a great way to get started in a career.

You should take advantage of any possibilities to job shadow, obtain experience in the field, and use computer-aided design software in order to improve your chances of securing a career.

If you are currently enrolled in a relevant technical degree program, there is a possibility that you will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in the use of CAD software such as AutoCAD and Solidworks via the completion of academic modules.

Free lessons and courses are available online that will walk you through the fundamentals of utilizing this program.

Find out more information on the many types of work experience and internships that are currently offered.

Employers

CAD technicians are most often employed in the building, manufacturing, and engineering sectors; however, they may also be found working in a wide variety of other businesses in which components or products are designed or made.

Large organizations engaged in civil engineering, building, or manufacturing often have an in-house design or drawing office. Alternatively, you may find employment with a specialised drafting or design company that offers CAD drawing services to other sectors.

Common types of employers are:

organizations that specialize in civil engineering and building

architectural practices

aerospace companies

automotive manufacturers

telecommunications and radio and television broadcasting

utilities firms

organizations that specialize in electrical and electronic engineering

the governing body

Those that make consumer products

petroleum and natural gas suppliers.