AutoCAD is often used in industries like architecture, engineering, and manufacturing. It’s an important piece of software that you’ll want to master to work as a Drafter or CAD Operator. But how long does it take to learn AutoCAD? It can take up to a year to master it. And while that might sound like a long time, once you break the process into steps, a year will feel like no time at all.

What Is AutoCAD?

CAD stands for Computer-Aided Design. The AutoCAD software allows you to draw and design models, graphs, and presentations on a computer instead of by hand. AutoCAD makes the design process more efficient because it allows you to copy and paste objects, create layers, save drafts, and share documents with other members of your team. AutoCAD is widely used in the engineering field. Mechanical engineers, civil engineers, and industrial engineers all use AutoCAD in their work. It’s also used by architects, interior designers, graphic designers, and even artists.

How to Learn AutoCAD

Now that you know what AutoCAD is, what it does, and who uses it, you can begin the process of learning how to use it. Here is a general guideline of how long it might take to learn in phases:

• Learn the Interface: This can take up to three months. When you learn new software, you have to learn how to set up documents, what each tool is, how they work, and how it all works together.
• Learn the Basics: Once you’ve grown comfortable with the setup of the software, you’ll need to learn the basics. This can take up to three months as well. In this phase, you’ll start to learn how to use the tools and how to create a basic draft.
• Master the Software: Once you have the basics down, it may take another six months to become truly proficient and master the software.

Keep in mind that AutoCAD software is updated often. This means that you need to continuously freshen up your skills to keep up with those changes.

What Will I Learn in AutoCAD?

Among the components you’ll learn in AutoCAD are:

• Precise Input: You’ll learn how to set up coordinates, which will help you draw your model accurately and precisely.
• Annotations and Styles: Anything in your design that is not a geometric shape, such as tables and text, is considered an annotation. You’ll learn how to input and style these.
• Reusable Blocks: You can create reusable blocks—items that you’ll want to reuse over and over—that can easily be copy and pasted across documents. This makes the replication of content much easier.
• Sharing Documents: You’ll learn how to save and share documents to collaborate with your teammates on AutoCAD.

Are you ready to master AutoCAD? It’s only one part of what you’ll learn in the Computer Aided Drafting and Design at Porter and Chester Institute in Connecticut and Massachusetts today. We offer comprehensive Computer Aided Drafting and Design training on AutoCAD, Revit, SolidWorks, and more. Request info from Porter and Chester Institute today to learn more.