Learning AutoCAD or "What Are My Training Needs"?
This is the critical question you must learn how to ask yourself. It is often clear that we need to become more proficient at something, as it is usually obvious to ourselves that we need to improve at something. The skill that we must develop is breaking this down, and identifying the key components that if improved will bring the “whole”, or our level of performance up to the standard that we feel is required to be successful in our chosen field, or at a specific task.
Question-
What is it that I need to improve at, and what skills do I need to acquire?
This is where you must do an honest assessment, and break it down to two or three key components
Do I need training that is related to a specific part of my job such as creating floor plans, or elevations
Do I need more task specific training such as adhering to specific standards, using certain commands, or printing and plotting my work
Question-
How will I learn what I need to know, and what is the best training format for me?
There are definitely choices when it comes to how to acquire the AutoCAD skills that you need,And it is important to determine the method of learning that works best for you
Training Manuals- For some “book Learning” is a great option. When it comes to AutoCAD there are no shortage of good training books available. For some suggestions check out the CAD LAB Resources page at caddlab.org/resources
Attending a class such as the many available at community colleges, vocational schools
A good choice may be formal online training as there are many courses available at all skill levels, and price points
Free open source training such as You Tube, blog pages, and user developed websites. There is a wealth of good information available in this realm, but caution must be used to ensure that you find correct, reliable information. For more on this type of training check out what is available on the CAD LAB web site, and don’t forget to subscribe the updates on the latest AutoCAD training, and industry insights caddlab.org
Jeffrey Lupp-
Founder/Educator at CAD LAB