How to get ahead with AutoCAD and Vectorworks training

Sometimes you need to be up and running quickly, and spending years getting acquainted with every nook and cranny of your software just isn't feasible. That's where training comes in handy...

Some people may see it as one expense too far, and on face value it may seem expensive, but you have to look at training like this: all the time you spend learning a program under your own steam is time when you're not being as productive as you could be. When you think you're actually getting somewhere, you realise you've drawn everything at the wrong scale, and it's only after a week or so of this fumbling around with the software that you begin to produce drawings at a reasonable pace. (I remember a bad experience where I imported a CAD plan into SketchUp only to discover after building up the vast majority of it that I had imported it at a tiny scale - now that was a long night!)

We've partnered with two academies that provide top notch training courses, so we can make sure you get the most apt training as well as suitable software.

AutoCAD training

Our partners Academy Class provides a wealth of training courses aimed at banishing your AutoCAD LT headaches. They have offices in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as being able to provide onsite training. They already have the following courses available at their training centres:

• AutoCAD Jumpstart: Get Certified (five days). This introductory course covers all the bases from creating basic drawings and templates to altering and hatching objects. It also includes an exam and certification.
• AutoCAD 101: Rookie Essential Training (three days). The same level as the Jumpstart course, but quicker and without the exam.
• AutoCAD 201: Hot Shot Training (two days). A course designed for the intermediate AutoCAD user who already has some relevant experience creating and editing AutoCAD objects.

However, if none of these seem like what you're after, or you feel like you only need bits of the course, then there's the option to look at a bespoke training course that can be delivered at your office.

Vectorworks training

For all your Vectorworks Fundamentals woes, we're partnered with Unlimited Training, based in London. There are two courses available to get you up and running, both a day long. Again, if the courses don't seem to match up to what you need, we can look at the option of bespoke onsite training.

• Vectorworks Fundamentals: The Essentials. This will see you becoming familiar with the Vectorworks Interface, 2D object creation, dimensioning and text and graphic attributes.
• Vectorworks Fundamentals: Further Studies. This concentrates on tools and techniques that speed up your drawing processes, including how to use Sheets, Viewports and Symbols.

To find out more about our software training options and book your place, call us on 03332 409 306 or email CAD@Jigsaw24.com. You can also keep up with the latest CAD news by following @Jigsaw24CAD on Twitter and 'Like'-ing our Facebook page.

- Visit Jigsaw24.com to find out more about Autodesk AutoCAD LT 2012 and Vectorworks.