How do you know if yours or someone else’s skills in CAD software are up-to-date? In this blog post, we show you how.
When engineering department is the bottleneck of the company’s projects, it usually means that there is a need to evaluate the efficacy of the whole department. Are the designers focusing on their area of specialty, or are they multitasking with routines and processes that could be performed by another person or department? Or, could their efficiency level be increased with a short training or two?
The situation can also address a need for a new designer if there is just so much to do. But how to evaluate the status of CAD skills and check if they are up-to-date? And how can you, as a designer, make sure your skills are valid?
Maintain both individual and team skills
CAD design software tools change a lot, and new releases are popping up like mushrooms in the rain. For designers it’s good to have access to every software from their first day of the employment. That’s why it is recommended keeping licenses on active subscription. This means that they start with the latest software and they are able to catch up with the latest features and functions each year – read more benefits here. With the active subscription they are also granted for a full technical support service when in need.
“What happens if you do not train your people and they stay?”
At PLM Group, we are often asked “What happens if I train my people and they leave?”. Our answer is “What happens if you do not train your people and they stay?”. This means that training is never a waste of money and an unprofitable investment. It guarantees excellence and knowhow both for an individual designer and for the whole design team.
Measure through certifications
Another already mentioned competitive edge: certifications. They can be used as a benchmark to measure the knowledge and competency with the particular software. Certification is a universal proof of skills and should never be underestimated – despite if you have recently graduated or have designed for 50 years, they are always appreciated. The certifications are included when the license is on active subscription, and another possibility to take certification is to attend in trainings – most of them include the certification exam at the end of the training. The certifications are granted for an individual, not for a team or for a company which means that when you achieve one, it is yours for good – and, when your employer offers you a certification exam, it is eventually you who carries the benefit.
Our training offering covers Training Agreement which is a flexible choice for companies with several designers. Designers can choose from scheduled trainings with a low cost and maintain their skills. In addition to Training Agreement, we have ongoing scheduled trainings in most of our locations and online. Our scheduled training selection offers different types of trainings, starting with basics. For more professional users, we have a lot of specialized trainings to choose from in order to take the design work to a next level.
“A great way of letting employees develop within what they love”
By providing designers an ongoing chance to develop themselves, the CAD manager invests both in the designers and in the company – and the designers’ CAD skills are always up-to-date. Trainings and certificates are a great way of letting designers develop within what they love and at the same time retaining key people in the organization. And remember, we are also there for you in your recruitment journey: when looking for new CAD designers, don’t forget to include the phrase “we offer a constant chance to develop CAD skills beside work” in the job advertisement. The company receives a reputation of being one of the top employers, the application drags in the most promising applicants, you get to work with the best designers and we help in making experts.
Want some more information on trainings, upgrades, subscription agreements or certifications? Get in touch with us today and take your skills to the next level.