New job not what I thought it would be 3

[fast4door]

I took a new job a little while ago. I thought I would be taking them into new areas but they need me to do a lot of CAD, which I'm not very good at. I might build enough new stuff so I can stop doing CAD, but that might be a couple years away. I feel like there was a miscommunication and we're both losing.

What should I do?

 

[PicoStruc]

johnwill65 I agree with you... but there is difference between a drafting job and a design job using autocad information !

 

[debodine]

I agree with those who note the difference (significant difference in my opinion) between a CAD draftsperson and an engineer. I will state, however, at least in the United States where my 38 years have been spent, that my company and a fair number of others where I have worked expect engineers to perform their own CAD drafting. I am not saying it is good business or bad business, only noting it as what appears to be a major trend. Also I should note my entire background is in aerospace, so my sample set is composed of only one industry.

 

[IRstuff]

"what appears to be a major trend"

I'd say it's a done deal for aerospace. We have had no one who was primarily a drafter in nearly 20 yrs. This applies to both EE and ME design work.

TTFN
faq731-376

 

[GregLocock]

That's interesting. I wonder why automotive is different?

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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[HDS]

Greg

Automotive is only different in the largest of OEMs that have staffs large enough to divide the work. In the suppliers and aftermarket or smaller OEMs the engineering does everything. The giant aerospace OEMs maybe the same. In 15+ years I've only worked one place that had draftsmen and there is only one left there now to support the EE and changes from outside engineering.

 

[truckandbus]

'Because our skill set and technology allow it'

Back in the late 80s, in our office there was a blueprint machine, a photocopier, and the secretary's typewriter.

To issue a report, the engineer wrote it longhand, had it typed by the secretary, proofed for errors and then released.

As the 90s progressed, a generation of engineers who could type faster than they could write emerged AND desktop computers on which they could type became prevelant, so the way reports were released changed.

I believe the same progress (?) has taken place with the practice of design - used to be a prolific engineer could keep a dozen draftsmen busy with layouts and detailing because that was the quickest way to get the work done; now that work can be done by the engineer -faster to model than sketch on a napkin? A shame really because I think you lose a lot of the collaboration that came from passing the design task from engineer to designer.