Our CAD for Construction Skills Bootcamp has been running for over three years now, and we’re loving the feedback we get from our trainees. Suffolk County Council provided the funding for Renah to be able to do the CAD course free of charge. Check out what she had to say about her time on the Skills Bootcamp. As one of the tutors, I for one particularly liked that Renah thought ‘the entire course was engaging’!
What were you doing before you started the CAD Skills Bootcamp?
I was out of work due to redundancy prior to starting the Skills Bootcamp. Prior to being made redundant I was working as a Medical Referencing Specialist.
Why did you want to do the CAD for Construction Skills Bootcamp?
To gain some insight into the construction industry, gain a practical skill to support with a possible career change, and to provide some structure to my life whilst out of work.
Were there any specific skills you wanted to address?
Not particularly, I mainly wanted to gain some insight into an industry I knew little about at the time.
How did you find the structure and delivery?
The course was very well-organised and planned. We had a great introduction to the overall course structure and content at the start, so as participants we knew what to expect and what was expected of us. The sessions were clear and we were walked through all of the technical work at a good pace.
be encouraged that the support is there for you and you will be taught at a pace that you can manage.
What aspects of the CAD course did you find most engaging or beneficial?
The entire course was engaging for me, however, the personal project was particularly helpful in allowing me to see for myself what I had learned and put into practice new skills.
Renah’s New Build Project on the HBXL course
How did the online format work for you?
It was great to be able to access the course from home. I wasn’t earning at the time, so it was helpful that I didn’t need to travel.
What are the main takeaways or skills you gained?
It was a great encouragement to me that I could learn a new skill from ‘ground zero’ as it were, particularly after redundancy.
Has the course influenced your career development?
Definitely, the support and encouragement from the Skills bootcamp team was beneficial in helping me to believe that I could make a valuable contribution to the construction industry. Having the Skills bootcamp experience and a final portfolio on my CV (amongst other things) was critical in demonstrating my interest and commitment to gaining employment in construction when applying for my current engineering role.
How are you using your new skills?
I have not yet had the chance to use my CAD drawing skills in this new role, but having some experience working with construction drawings has been helpful in familiarising myself with the engineering drawings used in my work. I’m sure these skills will also be useful when I start to get more involved with developing technical drawings in future.
Would you recommend this course to others in the construction industry?
Yes, the course provides a great introduction into the construction industry for those with lack of experience and provides you with a useful skill that is likely to help you in any work you may end up doing. Even for those already established in the industry, there were other participants who by learning how to use CAD themselves could expand their business offerings to their customers.
What advice would you give to someone considering taking this course?
If you are interested then go for it. I had no prior experience with CAD or construction. Be encouraged that the support is there for you and you will be taught at a pace that you can manage. You’ll be surprised how much you learn over the 3 months if you decide to give it a try.
How do you feel about investing your time and effort into this training?
I am very glad that I did the course, as mentioned earlier I was out of work at the time, so having some structure and achieving something during that time helped me rebuild some confidence. I am a great believer that you reap what you sow.
The results may not always come immediately, in my case it took me more than a year after finishing the course to find a construction role that I felt was right for me, but I believe that my experience with CAD was a great indicator in my application that I was serious about making a move, and something that was noticed by the team I now work with during my interview.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?
The HBXL team is fantastic, whether you are interested in construction or adding to skills you already have, you will be in good hands.
Want to become your own success story? Explore our Skills Bootcamps and CITB courses today!