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In addition to the “architect/build” question, I would like to know what education is suggested for becomming a draftsperson. I have a choice of CAD, Architectural CAD, and Architectural CAD and Construction Technology programs at my local college. Are there suggestions for people just joining the industry from people who have been there and people who are doing the hiring?
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I suppose the question I would have is where would you like to go with your career. I may be overly philosophical, but I think designers in some cases shouldn't know anything about details and construction. This is how the envelope gets pushed and innovations come around. There is alot of discussion on this site about designers not knowing anything about framing, etc. etc. It is impractical to expect a designer to gain a careers worth of construction knowledge before designing. Once you had that knowledge that would be the limit to what you would design. Ignorance is indeed bliss, but always doing what you've always done is stagnation.
So do you see yourself as a design person or a production person?
-Rob
*Hi Wendy,Advice from an old timer,Make absolutely sure what you enter, you enjoy doing. I've been doing this for about 35 years and still love to get up in the morning and get to work. There's not a better, more rewarding career.CAD training with construction technology would be my first advice, tempered with field experience. It's hard for girls in the field, but some of our best architects are women, so don't give up.Gabe
*Good Answer Rob!Never thought I'd hear it here.And I'm one of those people that think architects should have to frame ten houses before they get their diploma. When I'm designing remodels, I'm usually thinking first about what would look cool, then how to frame it. But then framing dilemmas create other cool design elements -- like hiding a beam inside of an arch, then mirroring the arch somewhere else...Wendy,If you're wanting to be a draftsperson, you should be very good at math and know how buildings fit together. Drawings that aren't accurate are utterly worthless. Well, maybe not utterly, but they're pretty darn frustrating.I'm not sure what the "architect/build" question was, but if you're wondering whether to take CAD, Architectural CAD or Architectural CAD and Construction Technology, It sounds like the latter would give you the most information. Is the CAD class a pre-requisite of the others?Dan
*Wendy,
Joseph FuscoView Image
*Ok, I'll bite, what is ICQ etc.etc.?Dennis
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Wendy:
As someone who has managed CAD personnel, may I offer the following advice?
b Learn how to draft with pencil, compass, triangles, dividers, scales, etc. before you master CAD.
I have met more CAD technicians who can't perform the simplest geometric construction. Unfortunately our engineering and technical schools feel that technical drafting is an obsolete skill.
b It is not.
I have met engineers who didn't know how to use a scale, couldn't provide engineering details or sketchs, didn't know the diff between plan, section and elevation....etc, etc. Its nauseating.
It is my hope that you embark on your career with the attitude to be the best you can be. I have met more worthless CAD technical school grads who think that all one needs to know is how to put pretty colored lines on a computer screen. Then I have met
b designers
(both male and female) who learned in the old school of vellum, mylar, Kroy machines, Rapidographs, who taught me more than a thing or two as an engineer. They earned my respect and I sought their knowledge (and they were valuable enough to get paid as well as most of the engineers).
In a nutshell, take the Construction Technology curriculum, learn how to draw and learn from experience. Find the old-timers, they are a vanishing breed, and learn from them-they are golden.
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Excellent point about the old fashioned drawing board. Most of the "designs" I see are still on paper, then detailed in CAD. I learned on a board and switched to CAD. I have noticed very distinct styles between people that learned on a board and people that went straight to CAD. The straight CAD folks produce the lowest of the CAD quality levels.
-Rob
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An expansion on my previous question about education. I am switching careers from a Technical Theatre Arts background (ie:low pay, few benefits, and microscopic budgets) where I have done both design and production. In my education the emphesis was on design, but I learned the value of knowing (theatre based) construction techniques so that I could design and produce what works best and not waste time on fancy but impractical designs (ie:expensive, structurally dangerous or too time consuming). I am a great problem solver, but the solutions have to come from what I know or imagine can be done.The (theatre)schools teach everyone design, but skimp on the practical work that will actually let you get a job. I am interested in making the most of my education, and eventually would like to work in a design/build firm or a remodeling company. I would just like to be a valuable part of that company, and would like to know what kinds of skills are most needed.
Thank you for your experienced advise! And the construction world isn't any less difficult for women than the theatre world can be, some of us like the challenge.
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I agree with the above comments that you want to get a feel for what you want to do. There should be a fair amount of interchangeable knowledge in the three options you listed, but choosing the specific one that is closest to what you think you want to do for a living (which is subject to change) could help you land that first job. If you want to be a CAD/draftsperson who designs "widgets", mechanical devices, car parts, etc., you will probably want to go for the straight CAD option. If you want to draw houseplans and work for an architectural firm, choose the CAD Architecture. Your employment choices under CAD and Const. Tech. might be similar to the CAD Arch. option but may also allow a bit more flexibility. Of course, it could also work to your disadvantage in getting a very traditional CAD job when up against someone who had more straight but more indepth CAD training.
I assume that to a large extent, graduates in these fields take what jobs are available and thus there is some variation in where they end up. Ideally, you need to decide what type of environment you really want to work in - do you want or mind a primarily sedentary job (as most of the straight CAD jobs will probably be) looking most of the day into a CRT and manipulating a mouse? Do you like the atmosphere of engineering firms better than architectural firms or smaller construction firms? My first drafting job was doing "as built" drawings showing what was actually built in contrast to the architectural plans which showed what should have been built. This allowed me to spend some time out the field taking actual measurements and checking on the materials employed - I personally would have gone nuts strictly sitting in front of a computer all day.
Talk to the employment counselor and/or placement officer at the community college and find out where graduates of the various programs are being employed. Visit some of the prospective employers and find out which feels like a better fit for you. See if you can find some recent graduates of the programs to see how they are doing and how they like it, and then translate their experience into how that would fit into what you want and need.
You might also want to see if there are some "co-op" programs which might actually give you some experience while allowing you to make a little money.
If you don't mind taking a few extra units, you might be able to combine courses from the different programs to either augment your main program or create your own. (However, these types of programs are usually fairly structured so that it is somewhat more difficult to choose your courses than in a regular "academic" program).
*Wendy,Given the new information, I would say lean towards the design side. We have friends in theater and I know the type. In general, I would say it is a rare few (some people call the artists or artisans) that can dwell in the creative and constructive worlds equally well. I think I could fall in that category, but I still lack in the design side of things. I can reproduce anything you hand me either in print or in sample.Specifically to your question - It depends.The designer createsThe draftsman draws exactly what he is told to draw.The builder builds exactly what is on the print, unless there is a change.Personally, I find the designing fun, the drawing to be tedious and repetitive and the building to be invigorating, regardless of how tired it makes me. I was a draftsman for 6 months, (a co-op job) and did a little design work, and a little as-builting work. It makes your brain soft. You stop thinking creatively. Mny days were spent meticulously reproducing identical floor plans for arch, plumbing, hvac, lighting, electrical, etc. plans. The computer makes this easier, but it doesn't make it any more creative. In many ways the computer hinders the design process.It is difficult to design a "feel" with CAD. Things that simply went where the pencil naturally fell now have to be placed with precision that becomes the focus of the placement. You ask Should I make it 2" or 3" wide?" Instead of just placing the pencil where it seems natural, regardless of the dimension.I could go on and on and maybe make even less sense. If you truly are comfortable with all phases of design/build then your talent would quickly become appreciated wherever you ended up and regardless of the path you chose.The easiest path may be simply to get on someone's payroll and work your way up into whatever position you are comfortable at. The problem is that there are lots of people out there that don't appreciate talented creative people working below them and they get tired of suggestions, and ideas. They simply want you to follow orders and do what your told.-Rob
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In addition to the "architect/build" question, I would like to know what education is suggested for becomming a draftsperson. I have a choice of CAD, Architectural CAD, and Architectural CAD and Construction Technology programs at my local college. Are there suggestions for people just joining the industry from people who have been there and people who are doing the hiring?