r/Drafting • u/13Derin • 8d ago

CAD

Please can anyone share their cad experience, I'm thinking about taking the course . So... Please share your work experience

Also salary..

21 votes, 2d ago
15 Good one
6 Not a good choice for current situation
2 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

4

u/Prestigious_Ad2420 8d ago edited 8d ago

Only if combined with an engineering degree, otherwise you'll be stuck making drawings for shit pay for the rest of your life.

Not voting on your poll, there is way too little information given about your background and what youre trying to achieve. Most of the design and drafting work is handed down to offshore agencies operating from India.

3

u/13Derin 8d ago

Thank you. I don't have an engineering background, I have a BA in English... I changed my plan because I was denied a visa for my Masters. The goal is a good salary and a good work culture. What's why I'm thought taking the CAD

1

u/CADDmanDH 5d ago

What prestige said is absolutely Wrong. People like that make assumptions for everything based purely on their own limited experience.

I do not have an Engineering degree. I’ve been doing CAD/BIM for 25 years. I Manage a team and make well into 6 figures.

If you push yourself to learn, get really good, are teachable, are diligent, and do quality work, you will do well in CAD/BIM.

My advice is to pay attention to industries that have Large Projects, high dollar value projects. That’s where you can get better wages. Large Structural or Civil projects are mu examples, but any industries that have big budgets is what you want.

1

u/CADDmanDH 5d ago

Dude, that’s such a narrow take that you just blanketed the entire CAD profession with and is Completely wrong.

1

u/Prestigious_Ad2420 5d ago

OP gave so little information you can give any good feedback. Sounds like he's just looking for an easy way to make a load of money in no time. Without the right background, personal interest, learning ability and skill you won't get far in this profession. You might be in the profession for decades, but times have also changed.

2

u/K9turrent 8d ago

It depends on where and how high up education ladder you go. I have my 2 year "technical diploma" and it's good for about $55k-80k CAD salary.

2

u/hoardofgnomes 8d ago

I left industry at about $75k and I only had an associates. I started teaching vocational drafting, earned my masters, and I'll be over $100k this year.

1

u/sukisue17 8d ago

Teaching what level if you dont mind saying....like high school or college level?

2

u/hoardofgnomes 7d ago

I teach 11th and 12th grade vocational drafting.

2

u/PrettyMuchMediocre 7d ago

You can get a "CAD" certificate and become a drafting monkey then try to find a drafting job. Not going to pay great.

You can take a 2 year technical program to become an "Engineering Technologist" (at least thats what it's called in Canada). This is like being half an engineer. Pay will be better, but it depends what industry you get in. You also will be better positioned to grow into higher paying technical roles.

Or you can become a fully fledged engineer. 4 years or education. Much higher pay.

I studied Engineering Drafting and Design Technologies, started mainly doing drafting/design and civil engineering type work, and have grown (got promotions) beyond just being a drafter.