u/Jp2245

Hi, I’m just considering transitioning my job to CAD technician, specifically with Civil3D and want to know what people’s pros and cons of this job/industry are. I am currently a project designer at a sign company so I make detailed renderings for production but it’s just signs. I do work with architectural renderings and engineering drawings that get sent to us and we make our own sort of “blueprint” packages that outline the entire sign system of a given store/restaurant/school. My bachelors is in graphic design though so I don’t have any engineering knowledge beyond what is needed for signs. Everything we do is 2D and with CorelDraw too…

My plan is to take an online certification course that focuses on AutoCAD and Civil3D. https://careertrainingsumter.sc.edu/training-programs/civil-3d-certification-training/

My worry though is that might not be enough to land a job if I’m competing against people with full engineering degrees. In your opinion, would a couple years as a signage designer plus this certification course be enough to get a job and would it be worth it to enter this industry?

Hi, I’m currently a project designer at a corporate sign company and I want to transition to CAD because it seems like there is a higher pay ceiling and more growth. I just want more of a challenge and don’t want to be stuck doing signage forever. Since honestly my goal is to make more money, I’m not set on one discipline, but there are so many different types of “CAD” jobs and types of software, it’s hard to develop a clear plan. What area should I focus on to give me the best chance at landing a well paying job?

Also, my plan was to do an online course which prepares you to get certifications in certain AutoCAD programs but there’s different types, so I need to choose one route it seems. I think ideally id like to be at a civil engineering company. I just can’t do an entire associates degree because I plan on keeping my day job while working on an online certification course. Honestly any advice for how I can best pull off this transition without quitting my current job would be helpful!

I’m 24 and considering a career change. I started college as a pre-vet major and whether it was due to Covid, depression, or just plain having a 18 year old brain, I decided I wasn’t smart enough and switched majors. I now have a desk job that I can’t stand. I keep going back to wishing I stuck with something I was actually passionate about. I know they say the vet tech pay is rough, but right now I make 43k salary (so not much to begin with) and am able to live comfortably. I have enough savings that I could do the vt program at my community college and finish debt free. I don’t want to fall for the grass is always greener fallacy, so I’m wondering what are the worst parts of being a vet tech? What should I be aware of? I know about the low pay and burnout but I do think I’d 100% enjoy my daily life more.

I am a conceptual project designer at a corporate sign company, we basically design and made detailed/scaled drawings but it’s just for signage and we use Corel draw. I want to transition to CAD drafting and I’m wondering the best way to do it without having to quit my current job. Does anyone know of online, work at your own pace programs that actually prepare you for an entry level CAD position? Would I still have a good chance at getting hired if I don’t have an engineering background? I have a bachelors in graphic communications. I just want to be sure I don’t get scammed by paying for an online program that doesn’t actually prepare me enough! I have lots of experience with learning design programs and can pick them up quickly, I never used corel before my current job and they taught me everything.

I am currently a conceptual project designer at a corporate signage company. I want to transition to architectural drafting without having to quit my job, so I was wondering if this is possible through an online program if I can just learn the required software and create a portfolio. My job now is to make detailed architecturally accurate/scaled drawings but just for signs and signage systems, but we use architectural site plans and drafts provided to us in our own drawings so I feel like I am adjacent to it. However I have a graphic design degree and have only used Corel draw at my current position. What’s the best way I can transition my career, are there any online courses that will actually help me get an entry level drafting role?