Taking a class is one of the best ways to learn Civil 3D. A class gives you access to a comprehensive curriculum and professional guidance, and can help you learn more easily and more quickly. This article contains information about the different types of Civil 3D classes that are available, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages associated with each type. It also lists some of the most popular class options.
What Is Civil 3D?
Civil 3D is an Autodesk modeling application that is used to design and document civil engineering projects. It was first released in 2005 and is used for many different types of civil infrastructure projects including land development, rail projects, bridges, water systems, and roads and highways. Civil 3D uses a 3D model-based environment, and it supports Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows. It has specific tools for many different civil engineering features including tools for grading, parcel layout, surfaces, and corridor design. Its automated features let designers streamline many time-consuming tasks.
Civil 3D also facilitates collaboration among team members. This application integrates data from a variety of sources, such as survey data and GIS data. It can also exchange information with other Autodesk applications, like AutoCAD and Revit. In addition, it allows team members to work simultaneously on the same project and make real-time updates. With Civil 3D, team members can maintain consistency for data and processes, and respond more quickly to any project changes.
Why Learn Civil 3D?
Fluency in Civil 3D is a fundamental skill required for many professional roles in the field of civil engineering. Working in this field can be lucrative and civil engineering jobs are expected to experience strong growth over the next ten years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a federal agency that collects and analyzes U.S. labor market information. Between 2023 and 2033, it predicts that civil engineering jobs will grow by 6 percent, which is faster than the average U.S. job growth rate of 4 percent. The agency explains, “With continued investment in U.S. infrastructure, civil engineers will be needed to manage projects that meet society's need for upgrading bridges, roads, water systems, buildings, and other structures.” In addition, it says, “Civil engineers also will be needed to oversee renewable-energy projects, such as construction of wind farms and solar arrays, as these projects gain approval.” The median pay for a Civil Engineer is almost $96,000 per year, according to BLS.
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Civil engineering can also be a very fulfilling profession. Civil engineering projects take place within a wide range of different industries including transportation, construction, and energy. That means that when you work in civil engineering, you may get to work on many different types of projects such as roads, airports, dams, pipelines, water systems, tunnels, and bridges. For a blog post on the Institution of Civil Engineers website titled, “7 Top Reasons Why Civil Engineering Is the Best Career,” the author spoke to a number of people who work in this field and found that the diversity of projects they get to participate in is one of the things that many people enjoy about it. One person commented, “There’s so much variety,” and another said, “You get to work with a ton of new people on new tasks every day!”
How to Learn Civil 3D
When it comes to learning Civil 3D, you’ll find four main types of classes: in-person, live online (virtual), on-demand, and self-paced. Each format has both advantages and disadvantages. An in-person class takes place face-to-face inside a classroom space that is dedicated to learning. An instructor teaches, answers questions, and provides feedback. You learn as part of a group of students and you’ll have the opportunity to interact and network with those students. Some students prefer in-person instruction because they find it more engaging and also feel like it’s an easier way to learn new skills. However, to learn in person you have to commute to a classroom. Depending on where you live, this can be stressful or time-consuming. In addition, you’re limited to classes that you can travel to.
Live online classes are a popular alternative to in-person ones. They are designed to be very similar to in-person learning, with real-time interaction, the ability to ask questions and get feedback, and frequent opportunities to interact with classmates. The big difference is that they take place remotely via Zoom or a similar platform. Students attend by simply logging in on their computers. Because this format allows you to attend from any location, you’re likely to find that you have access to more course options. You may also find a more diverse group of classmates. A downside is that you’ll need to supply your own equipment. In addition, this format sometimes comes with technical issues to solve such as internet connection problems or software setup issues.
If you don’t want to be forced to attend class at a specific time, you could try an asynchronous learning option. Asynchronous learning is not live. Instead, when you enroll you’ll be given access to a pre-recorded set of lessons and exercises which you can work through at your own pace. This format not only allows you to set your own learning schedule, but allows you to learn at a pace that works best for you. For instance, you can pause, rewind, or even fast-forward the content. An on-demand class is one asynchronous learning option and is typically the cheapest. With an on-demand class, you’ll get access to the material, but instructor feedback is usually minimal.
If you want the freedom of an asynchronous class, but you’d prefer more instructor involvement, another option is a self-paced class. Like on-demand classes, self-paced classes are pre-recorded and allow you to progress through the material at your own pace. However, many self-paced classes come with regular instructor advice and feedback on your work. In addition, you’ll interact with classmates, such as through online discussion forums. A downside to this learning format is that because you get so much control over your learning, you may need to make more of an effort to stay motivated and on track.
Where to Find In-Person Civil 3D classes
One way to learn Civil 3D in person is to enroll in a college course. If you want a comprehensive education that covers other skills in addition to Civil 3D, you might be interested in a degree program. For instance, a civil engineering degree is likely to cover Civil 3D in addition to a wide range of other civil engineering knowledge and skills. Degree programs take a number of years to complete and may cost thousands or tens of thousands of dollars per year. Alternatively, some colleges offer shorter classes that you can take individually. Colleges typically run on a quarter or semester system and have specific deadlines to apply for classes. In addition, there are usually admission requirements such as submitting transcripts and meeting with advisors.
Another way to learn Civil 3D in person is to take a course at a career training school. These types of schools are usually cheaper than college and have fewer admission requirements. In addition, they typically run classes more frequently. In-person courses offered through career training schools tend to be more accelerated than college programs, and focus on a more narrow set of skills. For instance, you’ll find lots of training options focused specifically on Civil 3D. You’ll find these types of schools all over the country, but they are more common in larger cities.
Where to Find Live Online Civil 3D Classes
Live online Civil 3D classes tend to be easier to find than in-person classes because of the fact that you don’t have to physically get to the classroom. Additionally, more and more schools are offering classes in this format to cater to increasing demand. Some colleges offer live online versions of their classes. The live online format is also common for career training schools. If you’re having trouble finding a class, coding and design school Noble Desktop offers a helpful tool called Classes Near Me, that you can use to search for live online classes, filtering the results by subject and location.
There are a number of benefits associated with taking live online classes through career training schools. One is that these types of schools commonly offer many different live online courses and their instructors are likely to have a lot of experience teaching and interacting with students in this format. Another advantage is that many of these schools have been offering these courses for a number of years and have had time to create effective curriculums that work well with this format.
Where to Find Self-Paced Civil 3D Classes
Many career training schools also offer self-paced classes. These are similar to live online ones, but provide more scheduling flexibility. You won’t get live instruction, since this type of training is asynchronous, but many self-paced courses do include a lot of instructor guidance.
When you’re searching for a self-paced class, it's a good idea to read the course descriptions and syllabuses carefully, and ask for more information if you need it. That way you can get a complete understanding of all of the features associated with the course. While asynchronous all consist of a series of pre-recorded units, not all classes offer the same benefits. For instance, if you take an on-demand Civil 3D class, you may not have access to a lot of interaction or feedback. In contrast, in a self-paced Civil 3D class, you’ll be assigned an instructor who will review your work and answer your questions, and you’ll also take part in regular online discussions with classmates.
Where to Find Free and Supplemental Civil 3D Classes
Another learning option is to use free resources. There are many different free Civil 3D resources online. For instance, YouTube contains free tutorials focused on a variety of different skills. You’ll also find free information about Civil 3D on civil engineering websites and online forums. Another option is the Autodesk website, which contains a number of short tutorials. These cover user interface and basic tools, and many specific topics such as surfaces, alignments, corridors, and grading. Some schools also provide free Civil 3D resources to help educate students about this application. For instance, the Virtual Design and Construction Institute has a variety of free resources on its website, including some focused on Civil 3D, 3D modeling, and CAD.
If you’re just starting to learn about Civil 3D and want to understand what this application is and how it’s used, free resources can be a good option. Free resources can also help you learn a few skills or troubleshoot a problem. However, if you want to master Civil 3D, free resources are unlikely to be comprehensive enough. Instead, you’ll probably decide to enroll in a Civil 3D class, where you can be guided by an experienced instructor and follow a structured course, working on regular assignments and getting feedback on your work.
Learn Civil 3D With Self-Paced VDCI Courses
The Virtual Design and Construction Institute (VDCI) offers a variety of Civil 3D training options. This school is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). Its online, self-paced classes allow you to create a personalized learning schedule that fits your needs. You’ll also be able to get advice and feedback on your submissions and projects and interact with peers in discussion forums. VDCI classes are approved by Autodesk, Adobe, Trimble, and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for eLearning.
One VDCI option is the Civil 3D Certificate Program, a comprehensive course that takes seven months to complete. This program will equip you with skills in civil engineering, site development, and infrastructure planning. Covered topics include working on digital terrain models, designing roadways and utility networks, and applying civil engineering principles to real-world scenarios. You’ll also learn how to collaborate on large-scale civil projects using FTP, MILCON, and government databases. The program includes courses in both Civil 3D and AutoCAD. In addition, you’ll take elective courses in AutoCAD, Revit, or SketchUp Pro, and work on a capstone project. The Civil 3D Certificate Program comes with six live one-on-one mentoring sessions.
VDCI also offers a Civil 3D Certification Training Bundle which will help you prepare for the Autodesk Civil 3D certification exam. This multi-week course covers beginner through intermediate concepts. You’ll take three Civil 3D classes where you’ll learn to use this application for surveying and mapping, transportation design, and land development. You’ll also get a voucher for the Civil 3D exam, and you’ll get a free exam retake if you need it. To take this class you should have intermediate-level AutoCAD experience.
Another option is the AutoCAD & Civil 3D Certification Training Bundle. This course is also designed to prepare you for the Civil 3D certification exam. It is designed for beginners. You’ll start by taking two AutoCAD classes, where you’ll learn the fundamentals of this application. Next, you’ll take three Civil 3D courses which are focused on using the application for surveying and mapping, transportation design, and land development. This class comes with a voucher for the Civil 3D exam and a free exam retake. You’ll also get a live one-on-one bonus training session.
VDCI also runs shorter Civil 3D classes that take a few weeks to complete. In Intermediate Civil 3D: Surveying and Mapping, you’ll learn about the surveying and mapping elements and commands in Civil 3D. Covered topics include survey and COGO points, point marker and label styles, point groups, linework code sets, figure prefix databases, survey imports, parcels, sites, parcel labels, TIN surfaces, surface labels, and surface analysis. Intermediate Civil 3D: Transportation Design is focused on the transportation design elements and commands in Civil 3D. Instructors cover alignments, surface profiles, design profiles, and view windows, assemblies, corridors, intersections, sample lines, cross sections, and 3D visualization. The third VDCI option is Intermediate Civil 3D: Land Development. This course covers land development design elements and commands such as drawing template files, data shortcuts, feature lines, and grading groups.
Another VDCI offering, which is likely to be useful in any Civil 3D role, is the Essential Skills Course. This bundle is a great way to improve your communication, teamwork, collaboration, and self-management skills, all of which are essential in the field of civil engineering. Three classes are included. In Communication and Connection, you’ll learn a variety of communication skills including negotiation and conflict management. You’ll also work on your emotional intelligence and learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Self-Management Skills covers skills such as prioritizing, improving efficiency, focusing on ethics and integrity, and setting goals. Finally, in Teamwork, Collaboration & Leadership, you’ll learn to build collaboration, conduct meetings effectively, inspire other people, and make decisions as a group.