Best CAD Classes in Chicago

What is CAD?

Computer-assisted drafting, or CAD, has a history far older than many people may realize. In fact, it was initially popularized as early as the 1960s, with early programs popping up in the 40s and 50s! Before the 1990s, though, it was primarily used by high-earning tech companies that could afford the massive, cumbersome computers to run it. However, the streamlining and affordability of modern computing helped CAD overtake pen-and-paper drafting processes. 

Defined simply, CAD involves using software to design just about anything. For instance, CAD is used in markets like architecture, manufacturing, auto production, aerospace design, and more. As a result, Chicago residents interested in design, architecture, construction, and civil engineering should jump into CAD training to enhance their skills and improve their careers.

CAD Classes Near Me

Though Chicago is no longer the second-largest city in America, it’s still huge! As a result, residents should have no difficulty finding high-quality CAD courses in the Windy City that meet their training needs. These in-depth and rewarding programs include in-person and online classes with project-based learning techniques and financing options that make attendance more manageable for cash-strapped Chicago residents. Here are a few of the best options.

Learn CAD

• Nationally accredited
• Create your own portfolio
• Free student software
• Learn at your convenience
• Authorized Autodesk training center

Learn More

VDCI

VDCI is a popular contractor-training team that offers self-directed courses that teach designers essential skills like CAD, blueprint reading, and more. Each class features a skilled mentor who can help answer questions and keep learners on the right path. Its online learning modules are tightly constructed and reasonably priced, which makes them affordable to any learner. 

BIM Certificate Program

BIM Certificate Program includes 290 hours of hands-on instruction, project-based training from real professionals, quizzes that build upon previously mastered skills, digital completion certificates, real-world examples, and 1-on-1 mentoring. Students pay $5,660 (in a lump sum or installments) to master complex BIM-related skills and prepare for an unforgettable new job.

CAD/BIM Certificate Program

CAD/BIM Certificate Program costs around $7,750 but offers 400 hours of hands-on instruction from real BIM experts who understand this market intuitively. With real-world projects, high-quality quizzes, graded tests, and 1-on-1 mentoring outside of the class, learners can master BIM in style and walk away ready to either look for a job or find more advanced training.

Introduction to AutoCAD

Introduction to AutoCAD costs $580 and provides learners with 6.5 hours of on-demand videos and 30 hours of hands-on training utilizing AutoCAD tools. Students will learn how to draft symbols, fixtures, and create floor plans professionally. Like with all VDCI courses, there’s a mentor who can make the training process a little easier to complete.

Intermediate AutoCAD

Intermediate AutoCAD has the same cost ($580) as the previous course and the same amenities (6.5 hours of training and a skilled mentor), which should help Chicago students more easily understand their lessons. Throughout this program, they’ll learn about construction documents, including foundational plans, electrical plans, and building elevation blueprints.

Westwood College

Westwood College is a career training program that teaches multiple subjects, including technology, justice, healthcare, design, and business. Their four locations include River Oaks, O’Hare Airport, Dupae, and the Chicago Loops. Residents looking for a more in-person experience can sign up for their classes and receive a degree in around three years. 

AutoCAD Training 

AutoCAD Training is a training course that covers this popular CAD software tool. Learners will master design theories and concepts, study 2D and 3D designs, edit layouts, save drawing plans, receive computer lab training, and gain a comprehensive career-oriented education. When done, they’ll have a degree they can use when applying for design positions.

What Can You Do with CAD Training?

Most people in the Windy City interested in learning CAD likely already know a little about engineering or design and want to enhance their skills. However, even amateurs with no experience might enjoy learning CAD. It’s a powerful tool that opens up many creative worlds. Here are a few things that graduates can do with CAD training after finishing their bootcamp:

• Home Renovation: Mastering CAD makes it easier for homeowners to design all their renovation projects personally. Rather than relying on outside professionals, they can upgrade their home’s style and save a little money on blueprint printing services.

• Creative Projects: While primarily used for professional-level projects, CAD can help users design things like sheds, garages, jewelry, sculptures, furniture, and much more, all in a 3D environment that makes it easier to visualize all elements of a piece.

• Interior Design: Most CAD programs include interior design tools that homeowners can use to change their house’s style in fun and exciting ways. With this software, they can change color schemes, try out different layouts, and choose their materials wisely.

• Game Production: Game producers often utilize costly graphic programs to create their products. However, amateurs can use lower-cost CAD tools like AutoCAD and SketchUp to produce strong 3D models that work well for their DIY, personal game projects.

What Will I Learn in a CAD Class?

Chicago residents trying to learn CAD should understand what skills they will study and master throughout their intensive bootcamp lessons. After all, knowing what they’re getting into can help them decide if this skill set is right for their career needs. Just a few topics and subjects that learners are likely to study when taking a CAD class in the Windy City include:

• Engineering and Design: While people learning CAD professionally probably already know some basic engineering and design concepts, they’ll also study many 2D and 3D principles and tools to strengthen their understanding and create better work.
• Numeracy: Throughout their CAD classes, students will likely work heavily with various types of dimensional and computational math principles. For example, they must know how to calculate square footage and volume in 2D and 3D objects, respectively.
• Software Programs: Learning to use CAD software like AutoCAD and SketchUp makes it easier for designers to master other programs. These may include related CAD software or specialized design tools, such as Photoshop and Illustrator.
• Tech Skills: Some CAD engineers learn technical skills, like blueprint reading and printing, alongside C++ and MATLAB. These tools help them produce better and more accurate designs so they can quickly expand their career opportunities exponentially. 
• Collaboration: Most CAD experts work alongside multiple engineers to produce high-quality and complex projects. Often, they’ll share their designs online and work on them together to make them even better. Designers rarely fly solo in the CAD world!

What Kinds of Training Options are Available to Learn CAD?

Chicago learners interested in CAD can choose between in-person and online training models, each of which works slightly differently. For example, in-person courses include live sessions in a physical classroom alongside other students. Learners get to work directly with their professors in each lesson and build off previously learned concepts to enhance their education in powerful ways. Private training facilities, colleges, and universities offer this option.

The first internet-based method, live online, mimics in-person training very closely. Students can learn from home while getting real-time support from their professors. Most classes include a chatroom where they can interact with fellow students, 1-on-1 mentoring, project-based education, and certificates of completion. Anyone with a strong internet connection who can commit to the specific schedules outlined for each session will benefit from this method. 

However, those with more limited availability may prefer on-demand programs. These courses include asynchronous video suites that students can peruse whenever they want. Rather than attending classes at set times, learners can complete video sessions and exercises as quickly or slowly as they want. Typically, they’ll complete several small CAD exercises and polish off their studies with a comprehensive final project that shows off their abilities to employers.

Lastly, self-directed classes build a bridge between live online and asynchronous programs that offer a good balance for dedicated Chicago students. Sessions mirror the varying pace of on-demand courses but include a mentor who can provide feedback and support for students. While teachers are typically unavailable in real-time, they can still offer help and support to make it simpler for learners to walk away from their training and be more confident in their skills.

Choosing the Right Training Method for You

All four training concepts outlined above provide unique advantages that make them worth trying out. On the flip side, though, each has downsides that students should know before signing up. Note that none of these methods are necessarily “better” than the rest. Instead, they’re just more suitable for some people than they are for others. Serious Chicago learners dedicated to mastering CAD software should read through these points to learn more:

• In-Person: The most significant benefits of in-person training are being in the same room with the professor, interacting with fellow students, and accessing computers and CAD software during the program. Those advantages alone are fantastic. However, higher prices and fighting through Chicago traffic may deter many learners.
• Live Online: Anyone who wants to study from home while still getting real-time feedback from their teachers will love this model. It mimics the in-person method almost perfectly while allowing students to stay at home and avoid nasty driving situations. However, it requires specific attendance times, which might be hard for some people to do.
• On-Demand: People with hectic lives love on-demand education because they can sneak lessons in here and there when they have the time. They’re also usually much less expensive than live online and in-person courses. However, they typically have little to no professor support, meaning confused learners might get left behind and struggle.
• Self-Directed: By balancing the unique benefits of live online and on-demand education, self-directed courses mitigate their disadvantages. For example, it works well for students who like the on-demand schedule but need professors to help them. However, it also shares a few of both method’s downsides, like consistent professor availability.

How Hard is it to Learn CAD?

The difficulty of learning CAD varies depending on a student’s purpose and experience. For example, hobbyists who want to use its most basic features might still find it tricky if they have no design degree. Furthermore, experts who’ve mastered architecture and blueprint creation will likely find it easier, even when learning more challenging and advanced skills. That said, regular practice and crafting a portfolio of work can significantly improve a learner’s ease of mastery.

What are the most challenging parts of learning CAD?

Most people learning CAD struggle the most with adapting to the user interface or applying design principles digitally. After all, many people still learn drafting using pencils and paper, even though they are rarely used these days beyond more specialized projects. While CAD software’s user-friendliness has improved immeasurably recently, there’s still a steep learning curve. It’s only through regular practice and steadfast training students can master this software.

How Long Does it Take to Learn CAD?

Engineers who’ve worked with drafting programs before might learn CAD fundamentals in a few weeks and feel comfortable integrating them into their daily work. However, beginners need a little more time to get there and might need months. That said, professional mastery might take years of regular study and work. After all, there’s a difference between basic knowledge and true expertise. Thankfully, regular practice in bootcamps can speed up this process significantly.

Can I Learn CAD Free Online?

While there are many free seminars and other no-cost CAD learning tools available on the market today, they’re not comprehensive enough for career training. Instead, Chicago learners should use YouTube videos, forums, and other resources to supplement their education. For example, if they encounter a problem with AutoCAD or SketchUp that their training didn’t have time or the proper place to address fully, finding an answer on YouTube is appropriate. 

What Should I Learn Alongside CAD?

Those in Chicago studying to become a CAD Designer should also learn related abilities that can enhance their portfolio, bolster their resume, and make it easier to find work. These topics include various concepts related to design, as well as more specialized tools that make CAD easier to use. Just a few things that Windy City learners should practice alongside CAD include:

• General design principles related to the market, such as architecture
• 3D design concepts that help them produce more attractive and high-quality work 
• Revit, a powerful BIM software with 2D, 3D, and 4D design tools 
• Microsoft Office programs to manage communication and schedule meetings 
• Adobe programs, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, to improve their skills

Industries that Use CAD

Chicago’s working-class reputation, while impressive, is misleading in today’s market. In fact, the Windy City has quietly become a tech mecca in recent years and has transformed its economy in powerful, almost revolutionary ways. Even traditionally blue-collar fields, such as construction, have seen a push towards advanced tools and systems like CAD. As a result, there are many industries and professions that use CAD in Chicago, including:

• Architecture: Chicago architects like Searl Lamaster Howe, Palmyra, dSPACE Studio, Moss Design, Pappageorge Haymes Partners, and Krueck Sexton Partners need CAD specialists who can design detailed, accurate, and high-quality blueprints for projects.
• Manufacturing and Product Design: Manufacturing and product design companies in Chicago, such as Saritasa, Simpalm, Garrett Technologies, Pivot Product Development, mHUB, and Headspring, require CAD experts for all their product manufacturing needs.
• Civil Engineering and Construction: CAD specialists in Chicago can often find work with firms like Milhouse Engineering and Construction, WT Group, MAP Strategies, Greenprint Partners, Atomatic Mechanical Services, and Sam Schwartz.
• Aerospace and Aviation: Though not the biggest aerospace and aviation center in the country, Chicago companies like Gogo Business Aviation, Intelsat, Global Aerospace, Skypan Internationa, and Airblox need CAD professionals to design their planes.

CAD Job Titles and Salaries

Within the many Chicago-area industries previously listed, there are dozens of CAD-related positions in various design fields. These rewarding careers include high salaries with lots of upward mobility. They also come with fascinating duties that will tap into a learner’s creativity in fun ways. Just a few jobs that might require CAD expertise in the Windy City include:

• Drafter: A Drafter works closely with architects, engineers, and other contractors to create technical plans. These may include 2D and 3D layouts produced with CAD software and other tools. Most earn an average salary of $70,000 or up to $120,000.
• CAD Designer: A CAD Designer uses this software to produce 2D and 3D images, as well as solid models. They may work on civil engineering, architecture, electronics, fashion, auto, and medical equipment projects and earn about $69,000 on average. 
• CAD Drafter: Working as a CAD Drafter is similar to a CAD Designer position but focuses more specifically on drafting, revising, and improving blueprints. People in this role earn around $59,000 a year on average, though they can make closer to $80,000.
• Design Director: As a Design Director, Chicago residents will use CAD and other visual design tools to curate the look and feel of a product, such as video games, advertisements, and websites. People in this role earn an average of $149,000 yearly.

CAD Corporate Training

VDCI is a highly popular and well-regarded educational team that provides hands-on corporate classes for businesses that need them. For example, they can set up CAD programs for design companies to help teach software to dozens of experts simultaneously. With 1-on-1 mentoring, detailed curriculums, skilled professors, and proven training expertise, VDCI offers the kind of work-oriented education that makes sense for architects, designers, and contractors. 

Even better, they provide discounted bulk vouchers for big businesses to help reduce their expenses while getting a fantastic learning experience. While Chicago firms can’t receive in-person education, they can sign up for live online classes that offer the same sterling quality. Anyone interested in lessons can email them at partnerships@vdci.edu to learn more about their options and get their classes running.