If you want to boost your chances for employment, then you may have been recommended to learn more about AutoCAD. AutoCAD is a software made by Autodesk which helps develop CADs (Computer Aided Designs) that are used in architectural, development, manufacturing, and construction industries.
This means that if your ideal job includes creating drafts, models, and drawings, then you will need to know how to work with AutoCAD – but how?
AutoCAD is a complex software that requires a lot of experience in order to be able to fully utilize it – and the best way to get this experience quickly is to sign up to an AutoCAD class. There are tons of courses and classes available online, but which ones are the best for you?
Here we are going to check out all of the most highly recommended AutoCAD classes that you can find online. Read our list below and hopefully, you will find the best online autocad classes that are right for you!
#1 Udemy’s Complete AutoCAD 2018-21 Course
Despite the name, Udemy’s Complete AutoCAD course is one of the best online AutoCAD courses available from 2022 and beyond. This means that it is one of the most highly recommended AutoCAD courses that you can follow from beginners to professional level.
So, you will only need this single course to take you right up to getting your AutoCAD certificate.
With over twenty thousand ratings, eighty thousands students, and an average rating of four and a half stars out of five, it’s clearly obvious how highly recommended and successful this AutoCAD course is!
The course is structured around project-oriented classes where each project is applicable to a real-world situation. This means that it is a very practical course that will teach you everything you need to know for your future career.
For example, projects include drawing floor plans, circuit diagrams, and more.
You will also have an instructor who will guide you through each class and also act as your motivator. They will ask questions and prompts to help you engage with the class, allowing you to build your confidence along with your new skills and knowledge.
There are also nearly two hundred video lectures you can download and review, making this AutoCAD course one that is incredibly comprehensive and in depth in all aspects of AutoCAD.
This means that by opting for this course, you will surely learn everything you need to know about AutoCAD so you can pass that final exam and get your certificate in no time.
Overall, this course is definitely one of the most informative and well structured out there for AutoCAD. It has a massively positive reputation plus it’s great for those new to AutoCAD or those who want to upgrade their knowledge to the next level!
If you do find that it’s not the course for you then no worries – there is a thirty day money back guarantee so you can have a complete refund!
The only downside to this course is that it has yet to be updated for any changes to AutoCAD that have been introduced in 2022.
While this will not affect the course overall, you may miss out on a few new additional features – but this can be explained quickly in a single free video on a platform like YouTube!
Pros
- Udemy’s AutoCAD course (see also ‘How To Download Udemy Courses On PC?‘) has been taken by over eighty thousand students and maintains a near-perfect score, proving that it is an effective course to try out!
- It’s in-depth and informative thanks to the near two hundred recorded lectures, downloadable resources, and access to a motivating instructor.
- You can take advantage of Udemy’s thirty-day money back guarantee if you think this AutoCAD course is not the right course for you.
Cons
- The course has yet to be updated to cover any further updates to AutoCAD itself from 2022, but this can happen in the future and you can learn more about the updates themselves through free media like YouTube.
#2 AutoDesk Design Academy’s AutoCAD Course
If you want to learn everything about AutoCAD, then why not simply sign up to the course provided by AutoCAD’s creator?
AutoDesk has a Cert Prep course (see also our favorite GMAT prep courses) designed to help professionals achieve their certification for design and drafting industries. This means that those wanting to brush up and improve their AutoCAD skills can find everything they need through this trusty online course.
It is a pretty dense one with a total of fifteen hours of content within ten individual online classes. This means that you will need to put in the time and effort to prove you can pass this course but the certificate you receive at the end can seriously help you out when it comes to your career.
The knowledge within this course is also trustworthy and informative as it comes straight from AutoCAD’s creators themselves – so you know it has all the right stuff!
As a result, each of the classes from this AutoCAD course center around features and functions of AutoCAD and how they would apply to real life situations. This includes topics such as drawing management, printing, layouts, reusable content, accurate drawings, and more.
You will soon become familiar with every brush and tool on this software – and taught by the very best!
However, this course is not suited for those who are new to AutoCAD. You will need to take an additional course elsewhere to learn all the basics but if you are already familiar with AutoCAD or have already completed a beginner’s course, then this is the next step for you to take.
Once the course is complete, the door will open up to you to qualify for multiple certifications straight from AutoDesk itself.
This will definitely impress your employers and prove to them that you have been trained straight from the source, ensuring them that you truly do know everything you need to know about AutoCAD.
Pros
- This online course is made and run by AutoDesk, the creators of AutoCAD. This means that all the content within this course is sure to be applicable and informative.
- The course is filled to the brim with tons of interesting content that is used to teach you everything you need to know about using AutoCAD.
- Each class is structured around a part of AutoCAD’s software so you know what every tool is and how it works.
Cons
- This course is so meaty and informative that it’s not recommended as a beginner’s introduction to AutoCAD so it is best suited for those with some experience with AutoCAD already.
#3 Skillshare’s AutoDesk AutoCAD Masterclass
Skillshare is the go-to platform for online learning and classes, and their course for AutoCAD is one of the most popular ways to learn everything about AutoCAD. More than two thousand people have already tried out this online AutoCAD course so it is clearly one of the best out there.
The AutoCAD course itself is an ‘ultimate’ guide to AutoCAD and ranges from a beginner’s overview to in-depth classes that focus on niche topics and important tools that you can use in a range of industries.
As a result, beginners can use this course to start off easy as each session builds on the last until you have completely mastered AutoCAD.
Such topics range from the basic to the complex, working with layers, properties, commands, dimensions, templates, and more.
It even covers topics such as publishing and printing, meaning that this course is one that can be applied to all those who want to learn about AutoCAD – no matter what career you want to move onto next.
This course has been used by those who need to learn AutoCAD for architecture or engineering, so just like the software itself, you can use this course for a range of purposes.
- Learn new skills
- Explore your passion
- Take classes on the go.
"1 year in and still going, their content and courses are great"
With each passing class, you will accrue all the skills and knowledge you need to pass your certification test. It is specifically built to help you pass your AutoCAd exam so you will have a better chance of passing the first time!
Also, by opting for Skillshare’s AutoCAD course, you can also receive a 50% discount for your certification exam!
So, sign up for a free Skillshare trail to access this course for absolutely free (at least, for a time).
Pros
- This course is run by Skillshare, one of the best online platforms for learning, thus giving the course even more credibility.
- It acts as an in-depth guide that you can use to raise yourself from a beginner to an expert.
- You can also receive a discount for your AutoCAD certification exam by opting for this online course, helping you save money overall.
Cons
- Each video is relatively short so they might not go in-depth into certain topics as much as you would like.
#4 LinkedIn’s Learning AutoCAD For Beginners
Our final recommended online AutoCAD class is this course available on LinkedIn. It is a relatively short course (with a total of nearly two and a half hours worth of lecture videos) but it acts as an informative introduction to AutoCad for beginners.
Run by a certified instructor from AutoDesk itself, this course is a great place to start if you want to learn AutoCAD to boost your employability but have never used the software before.
The instructor covers all the basics you need ranging from techniques, documentation, sharing, printing and more.
Although it may be a relatively short course, it’s also affordable as you can use LinkedIn’s one month free trial to work through this course and learn all the basics for free.
At the end of the course you will be rewarded with a certification of completion to prove that you are educated to a certain level in AutoCAD. This certificate alone will boost your employability, and acts as a solid foundation to the rest of your AutoCAD education.
So, if you want to start out from the very beginning, this course is definitely one for you to try out. It can be accessed for free and is run by a reliable source of information!
Pros
- This online AutoCAD course is great for beginners as it covers all the basic topics and tools you need.
- It is built and run by a certified instructor who is an expert in AutoCAD, so you know that the information is reliable and correct.
- By using LinkedIn’s one month free trial, you can easily access this course for free!
Cons
- As it is designed for beginners, this course is relatively small with only two and a half hours worth of content but as you can access it for free, it’s definitely still worth checking out!
Buyer’s Guide
So, those are the best online AutoCAD classes you can take today! Each course has its unique points but each one is a step closer to you achieving your AutoCAD certification.
However, if you want to continue looking for more online AutoCAD classes then here is a handy buyer’s guide you can use to help you find the perfect course. Take a look below at all the important areas you need to keep in mind while you search – good luck!
Price
Let’s first talk about the easiest area to keep in mind when looking for the best AutoCAD course for you – cost. Each AutoCAD course will come at its own price and you need to have set yourself a budget before you sign up.
Prices can vary due to factors such as length, knowledge level, and relevance – but there is a bonus you should look out for.
Some courses offer a money-back guarantee if you are left dissatisfied with your course after a certain length of time. So, in some cases, you can try out a course and still get your money back if you find it unsuitable for you.
This is a huge feature you may want to take advantage of as it can help you find the right learning style for you!
Expertise And Knowledge Level
Each course will also be tailored to suit individuals who are already on different levels of expertise when it comes to AutoCAD.
This means that there are courses designed to guide people from beginners to experts, but also courses which work better as refresher courses or courses to turn the average AutoCAD user into an expert!
So, think carefully about what kind of course you need. If you already know a lot about AutoCAD, then you can skip the beginner courses and go straight to something a little more complex.
If you know nothing, then it’s important that you cover all the basics first before moving onto more advanced courses.
Course Length
This area is closely linked to the level of expertise of each course. For example, if you are opting for a course that extends from beginner to advanced, then it will obviously contain a lot of content and take longer for you to complete.
So, it’s important to see what exactly you get with each course. Two courses could be the same price and same level of expertise but one could only have a few hours of content while the other offers you downloadable resources, lectures, access to additional softwares, and more.
Research how long the course lasts and compare it to how much content you receive. You may prefer a shorter course (especially if you just want to refresh what you already know) but you may find that a course which is longer goes more in-depth into all the topics you want to cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Learn CAD Online?
There are tons of online classes and courses available online where you can learn everything you need to know about CAD.
Each course is different in terms of content, length, and qualifications, but this can be used to your advantage. The variety can be used to help you find the best CAD course for you so you have a better chance of qualifying for a certificate to boost your employability.
So, yes – you can learn everything you need to know about CAD online!
What Is The Best Certification For AutoCAD?
AutoDesk offers certificates for those who are trained with their software. The highest level is the Autodesk certified expert – and this certification is given to those with over 400 hours of experience with AutoCAD.
As a result, it is the certification that most engineers and designers aim to achieve in order to boost their credentials.
How Long Does It Take To Get An AutoCAD Certificate?
This all depends on the online course itself and how long you take to complete it.
Some courses allow you to take it at your own pace, but there is usually a two-year cap which means that you need to complete the course within those two years. On average, most students finish the course within six to eight months – but again this depends on you and your situation.
Once the course is done, you still need to pass the final exam and receive your certificate. If not, then you will have to keep retaking the exam until you do – which can take even longer than two years!
So on average, it takes between six to eight months to get an AutoCAD certificate but it can take longer depending on your individual situation.
