Cad Technician

Typical Salary

£15,000 To £35,000

Typical Hours

39 to 41 a week

between 8am and 6pm

How To Become a Cad Technician

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship

College / University

You could start by doing a higher national diploma or degree that includes computer-aided design work. For example:

construction
architectural technology
product design
design engineering

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

You could train in computer-aided design by taking a college course like:

Level 2 Certificate in Engineering Technology
Level 2 Certificate in Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing
Level 3 Diploma in Design and Draughting
T level in Design, Surveying and Planning

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and computing

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a

Apprenticeship

You could complete an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in engineering, manufacturing or construction. The exact apprenticeship you take will depend on your job role but there are several that include computer-aided design work.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

design skills and knowledge
maths skills
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
excellent verbal communication skills
knowledge of engineering science and technology
thinking and reasoning skills
the ability to work well with others
the ability to use your initiative
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks could include:

using 2D or 3D software to produce sketches, schemes, models and detailed drawings
checking that drawings meet quality and technical standards
finding and fixing inaccuracies or mistakes
communicating with engineers, designers and project staff
reading and interpreting engineers' drawings
doing mathematical calculations to work out angles, weights and costs
keeping accurate records of different versions of your design work

Working Environment

You could work on a construction site or in an office.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could register with the Engineering Council to get Engineering Technician (EngTech) status.

You could become a team or section leader, project manager or site manager. With further training, you could become a design or software engineer.

You could also work freelance.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Career tips

Some colleges may specialise in particular computer-aided design packages, for example:

AutoCAD LT
Civil 3D
SolidWorks
Autodesk 3ds Max
Revit

Further information

You can find more details about working and training in computer-aided design through Go Construct and The Institution of Engineering Designers.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.