10 Things to Know About a CAD Designer

If you are interested to know the world of interior designing, you might find that there are a number of fields where one can choose to focus on. Among them is CAD; if you haven’t encountered what a CAD designer is and what they do, here are ten things that will help you out.

1. CAD stands for Computer-Aided Design which is also known as Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD). This job allows you to work in different sectors in the industry through your expertise in designing with the use of certain software programs, such as AutoCAD.

2. They are often needed in architectural and industrial design, shipbuilding, aerospace, prosthetics and automotive industries. They make the creative and functional computer-assisted designs that will be used by construction professionals.

3. This profession requires at least an associate’s degree from a 2 year technical school. But for better positions and salary, a master’s degree may also be pursued for more knowledge and expertise. Most firms refuse to hire those who don’t have any degree and at least 4-6 years of experience.

4. It requires a good knowledge with computers because compared to traditional board drawings; one would render designs using a computer and certain software programs.

5. The work output in CAD includes specifications as to the kind and cost of materials, as well as specific and carefully calculated dimensions.

6. They would need to understand and create models and illustrations that are 2 or 3 dimensional. This will provide a view of a certain design of a space in various angles.

7. This profession requires a good head in math and physics because their designs should have precision and should follow certain mathematical and scientific requirements.

8. Just like any field of interior designing, CAD also requires one to have a good interpersonal skill. You need to learn how to listen especially with a client’s specific instructions. You will also be required to make presentations for company representatives to ensure that stringent measurements and design requirements are followed. In this you need to make both excellent designs and convincing presentations.

9. This career is not only limited to designing architectural projects but you can also go into other exciting avenues such as designing special effects in movies, advertising, perfume dispensers and technical manuals.

10. There is in expected 7% increase for this career all through 2016 as stated by the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. There will be an increase of 3400 jobs as the need continues for these specialized fields usually in large cities worldwide.

11. It is also known that this job pays well with an average CAD designer earning up to as much as $71,000. They usually have a basic hourly rate of $13.77 to $19.63 and could increase up to $29.12 with overtime as of the present, as stated by the PayScale Report. On top of this they also receive annual bonuses which could range around to $404 to $1,926 based on a company’s performance objectives.

12. Those that are self-employed are known to have higher incomes with an hourly rate of $15.21 to $30.72, federal government employees come in second with $15.77 to $24.20 per hour, and private company employees receive $13.71 to $19.41. The location is also a deciding factor to the amount of salary a CAD designer receives. Bigger cities would mean steeper wages compared to the smaller ones.

If this information convinced you to hone those skills in computer designing and make it into a full-fledged career, then it is high time that you find yourself a good school. Aside from the interesting and advanced field that you will be working on, it also pays well!

Author Bio: Raffles Design Institute will help aspiring interior designers like you to have the best knowledge in designing plans with the latest 3D softwares under the tutelage of veteran lecturers from around the world.You can choose schools in over 14 countries which include Singapore, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, China, Philippines, Mongolia.

Category: Career
Keywords: CAD designer,design school,design softwares,designer career

Leave a Reply