Annual Salary
£17,000 to £35,000
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Maintenance or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Maintenance or Manufacturing or go back to all job sectors
Computer-aided design (CAD) technicians use software to design structures, machinery, goods and components.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: between 8am and 6pm;
There will be
0.5% more CAD technician jobs in 2027.
You could:
You could work in an office or on a construction site.
You can get into this job through:
You could start by doing a higher national diploma or degree that includes computer-aided design work, such as:
Courses that include a year in industry or a summer internship will give you an opportunity to develop contacts and gain relevant work experience.
You'll usually need:
You could train in computer-aided design by taking a college course like:
You may need:
You could complete an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in engineering, manufacturing or construction.
The exact apprenticeship you take will depend on your job role but there are several that include computer-aided design work.
You'll usually need:
It's useful to find out the common design software packages used by companies you want to work for. Some software companies offer student packages or free trials that allow you to practise using them.
In construction design, it's useful to have an understanding of Building Information Modelling (BIM).
You can find more details about working and training in computer-aided design through:Go Construct; the Institution of Engineering Designers
With experience, you could register with the Engineering Council to get Engineering Technician (EngTech) status.
You could become a CAD team, project or site manager. With further training, you could become a design or software engineer.
You could also work freelance.
You can find more details about working and training in computer-aided design through Go Construct and The Institution of Engineering Designers.
You'll need: