Best AutoCAD Classes in Philadelphia

What is AutoCAD?

AutoCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) program published by Autodesk, a software developer. Computer-Aided Design means any use of computers to assist design work, including 2D drawings and diagrams and 3D models. When used to create technical diagrams, CAD can also mean Computer-Aided Drafting. CAD programs accelerate the creation and modification of designs by providing digital tools for drawing, sharing, and revising. In construction, drafters, architects, and engineers use CAD to produce 2D blueprints, detailed 3D models, and mixed views like cutaway diagrams. CAD systems may also include routines to generate building plans from models or export information to guide construction planning.

AutoCAD is one of the most popular CAD programs for design professionals, especially building designers and other construction planners. It is notable for being the direct descendent of Interact CAD (later MicroCAD), the first CAD program for personal computers, released in the late 1970’s. The program supports both 2D and 3D design and can be used online through cloud- or web-based versions. AutoCAD also has specialized versions including AutoCAD Electrical and Autodesk Civil 3D. AutoCAD can incorporate extensions to add functions or create workflows with other programs. AutoCAD’s popularity and utility are emphasized by the publisher’s industry-respected certification program, Autodesk Certified Professional in AutoCAD.

What Can You Do with AutoCAD Training?

While this article emphasizes AutoCAD’s uses for construction, users in many fields can use it to create and alter design drawings and models. For example, AutoCAD is often employed in product design. Engineers can use AutoCAD to draw mechanical and electrical systems, conduct simulations, design prototypes, and produce technical schematics for manufacturing. Fashion designers can shape and display their creations in AutoCAD, and interior designers can create detailed room models to demonstrate their ideas. Even graphic designers and 3D modelers have many uses for AutoCAD, including product design but also set design for film and theater, prototyping advertising displays, and artistic creation. Amateur designers also benefit from AutoCAD training, as the program is a valuable tool for visualizing and testing ideas. Creators can explore ideas, create guides for handicrafts, or export designs for fabrication using tools like 3D printers. Some users monetize their abilities by selling designs directly, making 3D printed products, creating digital art, or designing digital models for games and other software.

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Within construction, Architects and Drafters use AutoCAD to design and detail 2D blueprints and 3D structural models. Collaborators can view and modify these plans directly in AutoCAD, simultaneously if using cloud- or web-based versions. General contractors and subcontractors may use AutoCAD directly for consultation, preconstruction planning, and guides during construction. Construction planners and managers can export AutoCAD designs to other programs, like Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems, to make more elaborate designs or conduct structural analyses. Amateur builders can also use AutoCAD to create models and plans for either personal construction work or group projects. A property owner wanting to build a home could explore different designs in AutoCAD before showing these ideas to an architect or contractor.

What Will I Learn in an AutoCAD Class?

In most AutoCAD classes, the first lessons cover two areas: 1) general knowledge about computer-aided design and drafting and 2) specific features in AutoCAD. Students not already familiar with drafting and technical diagrams need to understand these topics to know what to do with CAD programs. AutoCAD requires some explanation and practice to learn its layout, features, and tools. These two topics are often combined: students learn more about technical drawing as they learn how various symbols and structures are created within AutoCAD. Depending on the class, an instructor might spend more or less time covering particular technical details or might emphasize certain kinds of diagrams, such as building plans. Separately from specific design contents, AutoCAD training explains how to work with various file types and information sources and how to organize an efficient workflow.

Intermediate lessons in AutoCAD combine fundamental skills to guide students through complete designs. These lessons typically cover multiple plan types, such as the floor plan, elevation diagram, electrical plan, and foundation plan for a building. Students learn how various components are combined, how to group elements into blocks and layers, how to use coordinates to ensure precision and consistency across plans, and how to manage multiple project files. Some AutoCAD courses also cover 3D modeling and design, including coordination between 3D and 2D views.

Advanced lessons expand these skills to build greater fluency and precision with certain design types and improve students’ mastery of the AutoCAD program. Students pursuing construction-related careers might seek classes covering more kinds of construction documents, more detailed elements within those building plans, how to format completed plans for on-site use, how to integrate plans within a single project, and how to integrate AutoCAD files with other construction programs, such as BIM systems. Other advanced lessons explain how to create detail drawings for parts that require closer focus and greater specification. As students master separate design types, they improve their capability with AutoCAD itself. Those training for a management role should learn how to collaborate effectively within AutoCAD, such as by customizing AutoCAD with add-ons, optimizing its interface, and using consistent, industry-preferred naming and labeling standards. 

What Kinds of Training Options are Available to Learn AutoCAD?

In-person training

Live, in-person classes have several advantages. Students meet with an instructor at a classroom site for scheduled sessions, often in a computer lab with school-provided hardware and software. While students need to complete readings and exercises off-site, they can discuss their work directly with the instructor. Students can also discuss lessons and collaborate.

Live online training

Live online training is most analogous to in-person instruction. While live online classes are still taught by a live instructor, students attend sessions remotely through videoconferencing. This format shares many of the same advantages as in-person attendance without requiring students to travel to a classroom. However, it requires that students have their own computer and Internet access, install required software, and download supplemental study materials rather than receive preprinted copies. 

Self-directed study

While live online study is more convenient than in-person classes, students must still adhere to a fixed class schedule that can conflict with working hours or other responsibilities. Other online options, called self-paced or asynchronous study, allow more flexible scheduling by trading the advantages of live instruction for the freedom provided by pre-recorded materials. Students can study these videos, texts, and interactive websites at their own pace, whenever they are available. 

Self-directed study is a type of self-paced study that retains some of the benefits of live instruction. Although students primarily view pre-recorded lessons, they have regular access to expert instructors who can provide additional explanations, answer questions, or review their classwork. These contacts are reached by video or text chat, phone, or email. Self-directed courses can also include private mentoring sessions and career support. Most self-directed courses use a time-blocked schedule to keep study organized and coordinate progress with instructors but still allow students the freedom to choose exact study times.

On-demand study

Another kind of self-paced study, on-demand, permits students even greater freedom. On-demand students can access course materials at any time or in whatever order they prefer. Students can even skip familiar topics or add extra modules. On-demand schools may charge separately for each lesson, sell sets of lessons as packages, or allow unlimited access to all lessons for a subscription fee. These courses are the least expensive paid option but offer only limited contact with an instructor or mentor. Some schools offer chats or message boards for discussion between students.

Choosing the Right Training Method for You

A student’s ideal training method depends both on their preferences and personal limitations. In-person training is usually the most effective format due to its extended, direct contact with an instructor. Face-to-face contact provides fast, clear, and thorough feedback. Students can request alternate explanations, ask questions, and get critiques. Students can also work together without barriers, practicing communication and collaboration. For students with attentional, motivational, or sensory difficulties, physical presence can help them absorb more information and maintain focus. By contrast, online classes sometimes suffer from technical problems like poor audio and slow connections. Some students lack computers and rely on physical classrooms for access to technology.

However, other students find in-person attendance difficult to manage or less beneficial. Anyone who cannot travel to a classroom site will need an online option. Even for those who can travel, its time and expense can be prohibitive, especially if they have other responsibilities. Additionally, in-person training is limited to nearby schools and classes; online training provides more options. Finally, some students find classroom attendance uncomfortable or distracting and learn better online.

Live online classes share many of the advantages of in-person training, particularly the frequency and speed of instructor feedback. Self-paced classes lack this advantage, and some students’ progress is slower and less certain. For complex programs like AutoCAD, checking one’s understanding without expert guidance can be difficult. Self-paced study also challenges students to maintain their progress without the guidance of a fixed class schedule. Self-directed study reduces these disadvantages through regular check-ins with an instructor but still provides less feedback than live instruction. Both self-directed and on-demand courses also lack direct contact with other students. 

Still, for diligent, motivated students, self-paced courses can match live options and sometimes even finish faster. The chief advantage of self-paced classes is that students can study whenever they are available, avoiding conflicts with work, family needs, or other education. Self-paced study is also considerably less expensive than live instruction.

How Hard is it to Learn AutoCAD?

AutoCAD is a complex program with a sizable inventory of tools and functions. Interconnections between files, collaborative features, add-ons, and integration with other programs add further complexity. Achieving professional fluency in AutoCAD requires a complete course of study including multiple classes and extended practice. While students are learning the program’s specifics, they must also study technical documents, design principles (especially 3D modeling), and drafting techniques. This study is necessary to use AutoCAD’s functions correctly and fully. 

As such, students will find AutoCAD easier to learn if they have previous experience in related fields. Those with experience drawing and/or reading technical plans should already know what they want to create with AutoCAD, how different plans relate to one another, and what symbols and standards are used for each plan type. More directly, those who have already used other CAD software will only need to learn AutoCAD’s specific controls and any newer or unique features. Novices without any of this experience will need to spend additional time learning and practicing these concepts alongside their study of AutoCAD’s interface, methods, and uses.

What are the most challenging parts of learning AutoCAD?

The primary difficulty most AutoCAD users mention is its sheer variety of tools and settings. Many users first learn the subset of features they need for their daily work then acquire other knowledge more gradually through extended study and use. Those intending to become CAD experts will need considerable experience with varied projects before they can understand every part of the program. Adding to this complexity, not every feature in AutoCAD is controlled through graphical or menu-based selections; much of the program operates through command-line instructions. 

Another challenge for most users is acquiring the precision and attention to detail required to produce exact designs suitable for building or manufacturing. Not only do designers need to attend to scale, sizes, angles, and multiple layers, but they also need to maintain consistent coordinates, especially when creating multiple views of the same object. 

A third major challenge for CAD students is mastering any aspects of technical drawing they have not learned elsewhere. Without a complete understanding of technical plans and their elements, students will not be able to produce professional-quality designs in AutoCAD. Further complicating this study, different types of plans use design elements differently, and these technical standards will also vary by subject matter and geographic region.

How Long Does it Take to Learn AutoCAD?

The time required to learn AutoCAD varies depending on a student’s intended uses for the program, their previous experience, and the degree of expertise they seek. Introductory courses focusing on AutoCAD’s basic features and tools and the types of designs it can produce might be sufficient for experienced drafters, especially those who have already used other CAD programs. Users who only need to view others’ designs in AutoCAD might also manage with an introduction. An introduction might only take 15-20 hours of instruction, or about two to four full-length class sessions plus practice exercises. 

Those who need greater fluency with AutoCAD, more explanation of the various technical drawings it can create, and practice with modeling and drafting will need more coursework. Most students can start using AutoCAD productively after 60-100 course hours, or a week or two of full-time study and practice. From this grounding, users can explore the program’s functions further on their own, but they will not be capable with all its features nor will they be ideally efficient. 

To gain full professional fluency in AutoCAD, particularly enough to qualify for certification with the program, instructors recommend 120-140 course hours plus extended practice, which can take from four to six months. At that point, users should understand most of AutoCAD’s controls and its full range of technical documents. Still, greater mastery and efficiency can take even longer, perhaps a year or more before users have fully learned the program.

Can I Learn AutoCAD for Free Online?

AutoCAD has been a leading CAD program for many years. As a result, those interested in learning about AutoCAD can find many free resources. The most accessible free lessons are online videos, particularly on social media platforms like YouTube. These tutorials come from CAD enthusiasts, training schools like VDCI (‘VDCI cadteacher’), software publishers like Autodesk, coding schools like freeCodeCamp, and general training schools like Udemy. CAD-specific teaching websites like Sourcecad include AutoCAD in their free tutorials, as do the sites for coding and general schools like Coursera and Alison. Some trade organizations, including construction industry groups and trade unions, provide free AutoCAD instruction.

While these resources spare students the expense of paid training, they do so by sacrificing several benefits of formal instruction. Instructional quality can vary widely, especially on social media and personal websites, and free lessons are rarely structured into an orderly training program. Even sites with better quality and organization still rarely provide more than intermediate training. Their free offerings are limited, meant to provide preliminary knowledge or encourage students to purchase longer courses or teaching services. No matter the source, free resources have other drawbacks. Without an instructor to address their concerns, students will progress more slowly using free resources than with formal instruction. Free resources are updated more slowly than live curricula and are sometimes outdated. Last, few free lessons offer proof of accomplishment or career guidance.

What Should I Learn Alongside AutoCAD?

AutoCAD is rarely the only skill workers need, and learning related subjects alongside AutoCAD can also make its study easier and more productive. The most directly relevant fields to study alongside AutoCAD are drafting and blueprint reading. Understanding the original creation methods, intended purposes, varied types, and symbol systems of technical plans gives students stronger grounding when creating these documents in AutoCAD. Similarly, studying visual and graphic design can help students understand how to effectively convey information in drawings and models. Applied design fields like architecture and interior design are even more directly relevant to AutoCAD, and AutoCAD students can benefit from learning how building designers use CAD. Engineering and product design also frequently use CAD, and exploring these fields can provide additional context and more understanding of AutoCAD’s uses.

Various construction studies are also useful complements to AutoCAD training since builders use the program to collaborate with designers and guide their work. Studying general construction, construction management, or specific trades like electrical work helps AutoCAD students better understand what these workers need from technical documentation. The same applies to fields like industrial production and engineering that utilize technical diagrams to manufacture products. 

Another subject that complements AutoCAD study is Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM systems use 3D models similar to those created in AutoCAD but with added information resources that describe details like materials, physical properties, and building tasks. Some BIM programs, like Autodesk Revit, can import models from AutoCAD. Thus, students studying both programs benefit from shared concepts and better visualize projects as complete models versus separate perspectives.

Industries that Use AutoCAD

Any industry that works with technical diagrams can use AutoCAD, particularly fields like manufacturing and construction. In manufacturing, product design and engineering firms use AutoCAD to specify objects and systems, relaying these diagrams to machine shops and factories. AutoCAD is also sometimes used in marketing and advertising to prototype advertising layouts and displays. 

AutoCAD is better known for its uses in construction planning, particularly architecture but also landscaping and interior design. Architects prototype building designs in AutoCAD and create building plans according to clients’ needs. Interior designers can similarly create new designs or advise using AutoCAD. Structural engineering firms use AutoCAD to model durable structures, particularly industrial and infrastructure projects but also residences and commercial structures. Engineers also review designs in AutoCAD to evaluate properties like strength, safety, or environmental impact. Alongside these designers, clients like real estate developers, facilities managers, and government agencies use AutoCAD to review building designs and make comments and corrections. These building clients also include businesses that regularly require new facilities, such as retail franchises.

Finally, construction companies use AutoCAD for in-house design services or to view building plans created elsewhere. Builders use AutoCAD to generate plans for on-site use, to annotate or modify files during consultation and negotiation, or to export files into other systems for tasks like labor scheduling and cost estimation. This sector includes general contractors as well as subcontractors like carpenters and electricians. 

AutoCAD Job Titles and Salaries

The workers who most frequently use CAD are often described simply as Designers or Drafters. More specific design jobs include Graphic Designers, Visual Designers, Digital Designers, 2D and 3D Modelers, and CAD Designers. Drafters may be further specified as CAD Drafters. For these positions in the United States, the average annual incomes are as follows:

• Designer: $76,000
• Graphic Designer: $60,000
• Visual Designer: $83,000
• Digital Designer: $103,000
• CAD Designer: $69,000
• Drafter: $70,000
• CAD Drafter: $59,000

On large design teams or within companies that use CAD widely, certain management positions require advanced AutoCAD expertise. CAD Coordinators and CAD Managers are skilled CAD users who coordinate multiple workers by creating custom views and workflows, delegating parts of complex projects, and managing digital resources. CAD Coordinators earn an average income of $42,000 per year in the United States, while CAD Managers average $91,000 per year.

Within the construction industry, Architects are the primary designers who create building plans with programs like AutoCAD. Architects earn an average of $108,000 per year in the United States, while Architectural Designers earn an average of $71,000 annually. Interior Designers create layouts and visualizations of interior spaces and earn an average income of $68,000 per year. Alongside these building designers, engineering professions like structural and civil engineering also use AutoCAD to design and explore structures. A Civil Engineer in the United States earns an average income of $101,000 per year.

AutoCAD Classes Near Me

Visual Design and Construction Institute (VDCI) offers self-directed online classes on general construction skills and visualization software like 3D modeling, Computer-Assisted Drafting (CAD), and Building Information Model (BIM) systems. For each class, students complete one or more portfolio-quality projects, receive a certificate of completion, and can retake the course within 1 year. 

Students initially exploring AutoCAD or those who need only basic training can begin with VDCI’s AutoCAD Fundamentals Course, a bundle of two self-directed online courses: Introduction to AutoCAD and Intermediate AutoCAD. The Introductory unit starts with fundamental drafting concepts and their implementation in AutoCAD, including common symbols and plan types. Alongside these lessons, students learn the AutoCAD interface, file management, and modeling elements like blocks, layers, and coordinate systems. The Intermediate course extends these lessons to explain the creation of multiple construction document types. It also improves students’ use of the program with advanced tool skills and techniques for increased efficiency. The complete course includes 60 hours of training plus projects and quizzes. Students also receive one 1-on-1 mentoring session for help with difficult topics or career planning.

VDCI’s Autodesk CAD Certification Bundle is designed to prepare students for certification as Autodesk Certified Users in AutoCAD. This course bundle is a set of five self-directed classes including the Introduction and Intermediate units described above plus two extended units teaching further construction document skills and a unit on small-scale detail drawings in CAD. This bundle also includes a voucher for the AutoCAD certification exam and a free exam retake if needed. Students also receive one 1-on-1 training session they can use for review, exam preparation, or career advising.

Students seeking complete training in both CAD and BIM can combine VDCI’s certificate courses in both AutoCAD and Revit into a single CAD/BIM Certificate Program. In addition to the Introductory and Intermediate classes and two units of extended practice with construction documents for both programs, the combined program includes a professional-level capstone project, 120 hours of added elective classes (including advanced AutoCAD methods or specialized versions of Revit), and eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions to address difficult topics or help with career preparation.

In addition to its degree programs, the Community College of Philadelphia offers individual courses both live online and in-person. AutoCAD for Professionals I, presented through their Continuing Education program, is an in-person introductory class taught over six four-hour evening sessions. This course covers AutoCAD’s basic features through lab exercises and practice projects focusing on 2D drawings and drafting. The course requires a purchased textbook in addition to the enrollment fee.

ONLC Training Centers teaches software and professional skills through live online and on-demand courses. The school maintains training sites in over 300 cities, including Philadelphia, where students can attend live online classes from an equipped computer lab. ONLC offers multiple live online AutoCAD classes, starting with AutoCAD for Novice Users, a one-week, full-time introductory course with no prerequisites. This introduction covers all of AutoCAD’s fundamental concepts and features and progresses students through multiple tools, drawing types, and techniques using sample projects. As an alternate track, students with prior drafting experience can pursue greater expertise with AutoCAD through three levels of training: Essentials, Intermediate, and Advanced. These three courses are also available in on-demand formats. A separate three-day live course, AutoCAD 3D Drawing and Modeling, covers AutoCAD’s 3D modeling tools in greater depth.

Certstaffix Training also offers live online software training with the option to attend classes from their local computer labs; for Philadelphia students, the nearest lab is in Malvern, PA. Certstaffix’s AutoCAD courses assume some prior experience with drafting and focus more on effective software use. New students should start with AutoCAD Essentials, a three-day class (taken full-time) that introduces AutoCAD’s interface, tools, and techniques for 2D drawing. This course is followed by AutoCAD Advanced, another three-day course that elaborates on the program’s features for efficiency, collaboration, standardization, automation, and customized workflow. Finally, AutoCAD 3D Drawing & Modeling, also three days long, addresses the program’s 3D capabilities, including rendering for more realistic views and generating 2D plans from 3D models. 

AutoCAD Corporate Training

For organizations that need AutoCAD training, VDCI can provide live onsite or online instruction. Live classes can be fully customized, with lessons tailored to your needs and projects matched to your typical work tasks. You can even use your actual plans from past or current projects. Class length and scheduling can also be modified as necessary. Alternatively, groups can purchase vouchers for VDCI’s existing public enrollment classes, with a discount for bulk purchases. You can then distribute these vouchers to members to register for selected classes per their availability. 

Contact partnerships@vdci.com for a free consultation to address your training needs, create a custom training plan, and discuss pricing, or to purchase bulk course vouchers.