Although many people want to work with computer-aided design (CAD), learning how to enter the field can be confusing. Those who plan to be CAD Coordinators may wonder what steps to take to prepare for this in-demand career.

If you want to be a CAD Coordinator but have no degree, or have a degree in an unrelated field, you can still launch a successful career. Read on to learn how to become a CAD Coordinator without an architecture, design, or engineering degree.

Pros and Cons of Becoming a CAD Coordinator Without a Degree

Like any tech role, there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to pursuing a CAD Coordinator career without a degree. Consider the following pros and cons and whether they fit with your lifestyle, budget, availability, or other factors:

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Pros

Affordability - If you plan to launch a CAD Coordinator career without a degree, you will likely train through a bootcamp, certificate course, certification process, or on-demand video training. Some people even learn independently through free online tutorials, as discussed below. Any of these is almost certainly more affordable than a formal degree program.

Focused training - Bootcamps, certificate programs, and courses that prepare students to sit for certification exams typically emphasize maximum information and skills delivered concisely. With this method, there are no time-wasting elective courses or irrelevant topics.

Mentoring or job placement - While not all courses provide 1-on-1 mentoring or job placement programs, many offer one or both. These benefits can be invaluable, especially for graduates seeking their first CAD-centered position.

Cons

Fast-paced curriculum - Many students like the intensive approach of a bootcamp or certificate program. With this training method, you can gain conceptual knowledge and practical skills in months or weeks. By contrast, a two- or four-year degree program requires a massive investment of time and money. However, others liken this approach to drinking from a firehose and find the pace is overwhelming.

Overall risk - The obvious risk to starting a CAD Coordinator career without a degree is that it can be more difficult to find the best roles. Although some organizations value job candidates' ability to do the work, others insist on minimum degree requirements for all applicants. Still, many open positions welcome graduates of bootcamps, certificate programs, and certification courses.

The Freelance Route - The ability to freelance is another advantage for those who start a CAD Coordinator career without a degree. However, freelancing comes with its own set of pros and cons. Flexible schedules and the ability to choose their clients appeal to many freelancers, but others find the challenges of running and marketing a freelance business too much to handle.

Learning Methods to Become a CAD Coordinator Without a Degree

If you want to start a career as a CAD Coordinator without a degree, you must consider all possible ways to accomplish this goal. People who have done it may recommend a particular course of action, but your path might be different. Check out the following training methods for CAD professionals of every kind.

Bootcamps

Many respected course providers offer CAD training in this popular format. Bootcamps typically cover maximum information and skills in a concise timeframe. For example, an AutoCAD Bootcamp might teach basic and intermediate drawing, editing, and layering in a one-week curriculum.

Certificate & Certification Programs

A certificate program typically consists of several bootcamps and training modules. These courses combine to provide a comprehensive educational program that covers multiple skills in detail, often culminating in a portfolio project suitable to share with potential recruiters or hiring managers. 

Certification programs may feature multiple bootcamps but also include training to sit for a certification credential exam. Many certificates and certification programs also feature 1-on-1 tutoring or mentoring, exam proctoring, and the option to retake the class for up to a year.

On-Demand Classes

On-demand training, also called asynchronous learning, usually consists of pre-recorded videos. Some on-demand courses include additional supplementary materials, workbooks, or student chat groups. Although on-demand videos can offer a lower entry cost and the ability to watch at any hour, they also provide lower engagement than in-person or live online. However, some students prefer asynchronous training, especially if work or family obligations present scheduling challenges.

Self-Teaching

Anyone can go online and attend free tutorials or seminars about AutoCAD and other skills essential to the CAD Coordinator role. However, professional-level skill development doesn't come free. Free resources like the Noble Desktop YouTube channel and Learn Hub are a great way to get oriented to AutoCAD fundamentals, but the best approach is to 

enroll in an AutoCAD bootcamp or certification program.

Internships

A paid internship can be a beneficial approach to learning about AutoCAD and related skills, but unpaid internships have more limited value. Most people cannot afford, nor do most others wish, to work for free. Consider a paid internship if you think it might lead to a full-time paid position in your field of choice.

What is a CAD Coordinator?

A CAD Coordinator generally provides support for design, engineering, or manufacturing teams. Responsibilities for CAD Coordinator positions vary widely, and different industries can have unique requirements and unusual job titles. They can range from updating software to providing training or maintaining CAD standards.

CAD Coordinators may design and prepare electronic working plans, maps, and project drawings. Others receive customer 2D drawings and prepare them for release to a CAD design or engineering team. Firmwide CAD Coordinators typically work in a supervisory capacity, managing and coordinating all CAD-related activities.

CAD Coordinators are oftentimes experts in building information modeling (BIM), and some positions have titles like CAD/BIM Design Coordinator. These roles are often comparable to those with titles like Firmwide CAD Coordinator, which means they support multiple design and engineering teams. Read on for additional requirements and specifics for this unique position.

Can You Really Become a CAD Coordinator Without a Degree?

While it is possible to become a CAD Coordinator without an architecture, design, or engineering degree, you might also be able to get this position with a degree in a different field. For example, a degree in management can be an asset for someone who works as a Firmwide CAD Coordinator. Read on to learn more about other steps to the CAD Coordinator role.

Steps to Become a CAD Coordinator

To become a CAD Coordinator, you will need some of the tools and skills of a CAD Technician or Operator. Fortunately, this can also be a CAD Drafter or CAD Designer. Multiple industries need CAD Coordinators, and your choice of role may be industry-specific. However, starting with general training is the essential first step.

Training for most CAD roles involves AutoCAD. You can get a free trial AutoCAD subscription through the Autodesk website. However, an even better strategy is to learn AutoCAD basics through a bootcamp or certification program, which will provide experience, knowledge, and a portfolio of CAD projects.

Many companies hire AutoCAD pros based solely on their skills and knowledge, especially those with CAD-related certification credentials. The American Design Drafting Association offers certification programs, as does Autodesk. You can also take the AutoCAD Certification Program from Noble Desktop, which prepares you for the Autodesk Certificated Professional in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting exam.

Ready to start learning? Check out the following AutoCAD training options for individuals and organizations at Noble Desktop.

Learn the Skills to Become a CAD Coordinator at Noble Desktop

While some CAD roles will require expertise in a system software like SolidWorks from Dassault Systèmes, most will require AutoCAD. Training for a CAD Coordinator role typically starts with one or more Autodesk programs, from AutoCAD to Revit, Fusion 360, and Navisworks.

Noble Desktop provides multiple AutoCAD training options for individuals and organizations. Their AutoCAD Level I class is an 18-hour program available live online via teleconferencing or in person at their state-of-the-art Manhattan headquarters. Beginners learn to create drawings for architectural or mechanical applications. Although in-person classes focus on AutoCAD for PC, Mac users may attend online. Noble offers intermediate and advanced training through AutoCAD Levels II and III classes.

Applicants can save by taking AutoCAD Level I within one of several immersive programs. The following courses include beginner to intermediate or advanced AutoCAD training:

  • AutoCAD Bootcamp - The comprehensive AutoCAD Bootcamp combines AutoCAD Levels I and II for a total of 30 hours of training. Attendees learn basic and intermediate AutoCAD skills like drawing, editing, advanced layer techniques, and data tables in a beginner-friendly curriculum.
  • AutoCAD Masterclass - Noble Desktop’s AutoCAD Masterclass adds an 18-hour advanced AutoCAD Level III course to the AutoCAD Bootcamp modules. While also open to beginners, this 48-hour program covers advanced object types and interface techniques. Graduates rate the AutoCAD Masterclass highly, 4.7 out of 5 stars. 
  • AutoCAD Certification Program - The 54-hour AutoCAD Certification Program adds six hours of private tutoring to the AutoCAD Masterclass curriculum to prepare students to sit for the Autodesk Certificated Professional in AutoCAD for Design and Drafting exam. Tuition also covers proctoring for the exam and a free retake if needed. Attendees can substitute an additional hour of tutoring in place of the exam if they choose. 

Courses like the certification program can help professional AutoCAD users stand out from the field in a crowded job market. However, Autodesk also suggests that the certification exam usually requires between 400 and 1,200 on-the-job hours using the AutoCAD software to prepare for testing.