AutoCAD tuition / brush-up / update?

[pstruck]

It is 10 or 12 years since I used AutoCAD on a daily basis in a work environment (Civils). I have always had a copy on my home PC and dabble from time to time and am still able to rustle up a good quality technical drawing, but I may be a little out-of-touch with some of the changes/improvments in the software over the years and some of my knoweldge may have been lost over the years.

I am wondering what would be the best way to 'brush-up' my skills and bring them up-to-date. I do not have any recognised CAD qualifications, as I was self taught/on-the-job trained. Would it be better to put myself through a formal course and come out of it with a certificate or two, or just get some personal tuition, taylored to my specific needs?

Any ideas what my best option would be?

(PS - have a bit of deja-vous going on here, so I may have asked this before, but I cannot find it!)

[pstruck]

As I'm currently only temporarily employed, with a contract which will end sometime this year (either March of October) I'm looking at options for when it finishes. I really enjoy draughting work and I'm sure I have something to offer in this respect, be it employed, freelance, whatever. As I said, assessing options at this stage.

[Dave^]

Depends on your specific field, but it hasn't changed that much.

Have a look here for new and discontinued commands...

http://www.hyperpics.com/commands/

[Du1point8]

have a go on something like this

http://www.lynda.com/allcourses

[The Beaver King]

pstruck said:

As I'm currently only temporarily employed, with a contract which will end sometime this year (either March of October) I'm looking at options for when it finishes. I really enjoy draughting work and I'm sure I have something to offer in this respect, be it employed, freelance, whatever. As I said, assessing options at this stage.

Most local colleges do an evening course, with different levels depending on your skill. I don't think they are that expensive either, circa £200-300.

As said above though; it hasn't really changed much over the last few years. Most of the changes are cosmetic, I don't really notice as I tend to use the commands.

There are a fair amount of opportunities for CAD guys at the minute, I must get 2 or 3 phone calls a week offering work. The real money is in contracting, but be prepared to travel.

[pstruck]

doogz said:

Are there jobs to be had as someone with just some skills in AutoCAD?

I have a little more to offer than just being able to draw stuff. I'm hoping that my 22 years in the industry (civils - river and coastal engineering) will help.

[pstruck]

No offence taken doogz. Just clarifying my situation.

This may be a non starter for me, but I have to look at all possible leads and maximise my options. This is just one, but being as it is based on a skill I already have it would be silly to ignore it. Ultimately I would like to be acquiring new skills and moving in a new career direction altogether, but I have too many family and financial commitments to be making risky career moves right now.

I agree, many employers are heavily qualifacation focused. I hope though that there are also plenty out there that are willing to see that experience is just as important. I will be putting feelers out within my network of existing contacts, since that is how I landed my last 3 jobs - through people who know me and what I have to offer.