Latest Blog posts from SolidPeople.co.uk

Looking for a new CAD job? Would updating your CAD software skills help?

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We recently read an interesting article by Louisa Peacock from the Daily Telegraph. She was looking into whether updating your software skills would guarantee a job and kicked off the debate with an email from a DT reader called peter:

‘I am a computer aided design (CAD) draughtsman with 15 years experience in engineering. I lost my job more than a year ago and want to update my software skills to get a new role. What do you suggest?’

At Solid People we’re often asked whether updating CAD skills will help secure a CAD job. This is why we found this article interesting, and this is why we thought we’d share it with you:

It’s an easy assumption to make, Peter, but going on a training course won’t necessarily lead to a new job. True, you’ve been unemployed for over a year and your skills might be rusty. And yes, in your industry especially, the software packages are likely to have moved on with new versions you are unfamiliar with. But none of that matters, according to Chris Morrall, a recruitment expert who specialises in getting people back to work post redundancy. You should, he says, work out what you are good at – “what makes you feel alive” – and which employers are likely to hire you “just the way you are”.

Chris Morrall goes on to say that virtually every manufacturing company in the UK works from designs and technical drawings, but there is a huge variety in the types of CAD software used. Smaller firms use older packages because they cannot afford to upgrade. Larger companies will use various programmes from AutoCAD and Autodesk to SolidWorks and SpaceClaim, he says. There’s no point paying to pick up new technical skills if your future employer doesn’t need them. ‘

You need to do a bit of homework, Morrall says. List 10 companies you would like to work for and research what software they use. This will give you a better idea of which business might be suited to your skills already without having to do extra training.

Alternatively, ring the suppliers of the software you are trained in and ask them which firms use their products, he says. Apply to those companies directly outlining your technical experience.’

You are right however, to try and improve your employability. According to the Engineering council (www.engc.org.uk), you should assess your experience against industry standards listed on it’s website in the “UK Spec” pdf. Here, you will find all the competencies that technicians, such as yourself, should be able to demonstrate. For example, the ability to identify a problem and use appropriate engineering principles to deal with it. According to Richard Shearman, deputy chief executive of the Engineering Council, you should work out what you excel at and how you can sell that to employers.

Louisa goes on to add ‘With more than 15 years experience, you should also apply for professional status at the Institution of Engineering Designers (www.ied.org.uk). One of the perks of membership is allowing you to tout for work on its website. Make sure you’re using jobsites including www.engineeringjobs.co.uk, www.justengineers.net and www.telegraph.co.uk/jobs.
Article by Louisa Peacock of the Daily Telegraph

There was some really good advice in Louisa’s article and we’d certainly offer similar. We agree that it’s important to register with job boards, professional institutions, making company contact lists and fully understanding your strengths. However, what do we think about updating your CAD software skills?

Chris Marshall, the recruitment expert from the article didn’t feel that updating your CAD skills was important. We don’t necessarily agree, although it is a tricky one to answer. Ultimately we feel it’s important to give yourself the best possible chance for success... and having updated CAD skills will help.

A major problem with updating your CAD skills is cost. CAD training courses can be expensive, and if there’s no guarantee of a job at the end of it should you take the risk? Our advice would be to look into more cost effective ways to further develop your CAD skills, and you do have some options. There’s no doubt SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor and Pro/Engineer are three of the leading 3D CAD packages, so if you’re in mechanical or product design we’d recommend looking at one of, or all three of these.

If you approached a CAD software provider and booked yourself onto a basic training course you could be looking at a cost of anything up to £1,000. If you’ve got the money great, why not, but like most of us if you can’t afford this sort of money then what are your options?

1. Cost effective training: More and more universities and colleges are running CAD specific short courses. This is a cost effective way to receive formal training on industry leading CAD software. A good first step would be to contact your local college or university and ask about their CAD courses.

2. Using your network of contacts: If you’ve been in the CAD industry for a while, do you have any current or ex colleagues who own a license of something like SolidWorks or Inventor? If you do, give them a call and ask if you can have a play. Better still, ask if they’d help show you the ropes.

3. Go and see a ‘proper’ demonstration: Are there any CAD resellers running seminars locally to you? Many CAD resellers run seminars to showcase the software to prospective clients. Give your local SolidWorks, Inventor or Pro/Engineer reseller a call and ask if you could attend one. You’ll see the latest version of the software being used to its full potential by industry experts.

4. Get online: Keep abreast of the latest developments in the CAD industry by following online news articles, press releases, demo’s etc. Youtube is a great place to see demonstrations of new features and functionality of 3D CAD packages.

So these are just a few more cost effective ways of developing your CAD skills...should you feel the need to! We probably wouldn’t recommend forking out lots of cash for expensive training, however we would recommend looking in to more cost effective ways of improving your CAD knowledge.

Hope this has been an interesting blog for you.

The Solid People Blogger.

Graduating this year? Give yourself the best chance for success.

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So its crunch time for many final year engineering and design students...your dissertations are due in and the revision schedules are in place. A challenging and nervy time for many, however before you know it, university life will be over and your next challenge will be to find a job. For this reason we wanted share some useful tips and tricks you can use when searching for your first CAD job.

If you're like me you went to university to give yourself then best possible chance of being successful in your career (the social side of university is of course another good reason to go!). This message was probably drummed in to you by your school teachers and/or careers advice people. Unfortunately, due to the tough economic conditions it's not been an easy ride for many graduates looking to take their first step on the career ladder. Many graduate placement schemes have had their numbers reduced and many engineering companies have been choosing experience over potential.

OK, so that’s the depressing news...the good news is that this is clearly changing. We're seeing more and more opportunities for graduates within the CAD industry. That said, it’s still a competitive market so we wanted to offer some friendly advice which will hopefully help you find your first CAD job.

1. Get your CV right: We dedicate a section to this on the Solid People website. Do have a read and make some notes. Your CV is such an important part of the job search process - you’d be surprised how many people just don’t give it the time and attention it deserves. First impressions really do start before you arrive, so make sure your CV shines and you’ll increase the chances of getting that crucial interview invite.

2. CAD Portfolio: As we’ve pointed out, it’s a competitive market so you need to do all you can to stand out from the crowd. We highly recommend putting a CAD portfolio together showcasing some of your best design work. With a portfolio you’ll be one step ahead of the competition and it acts as a great discussion document when interviewing. Get cracking with it...

3. Build relationships with recruiters: Rather than just apply for CAD jobs online, give the agency a call and speak to someone in charge of CAD recruitment. Build a relationship with that person and make sure you’re the first person he/she thinks of when that new graduate design opportunity comes in. Although building a relationship with a recruitment consultant is important, be careful not to pester them. Occasional phone calls/emails are fine to keep you at the forefront of their mind.

4. Linkedin: Get yourself on it! LinkedIn is a fantastic networking tool for professionals. For example, do you fancy designing vacuums? Well if you do I bet you’d find key contacts from Dyson on LinkedIn. You can link with them and start building relationships with them. It’s a tool that’s often overlooked by graduates but can be a very powerful one if used to its full potential.

5. Develop your CAD skills: Yes, you've got yout degree in design (which is great) but why stop there? Check out some industry recognised CAD courses in systems such as SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Pro/Engineer or SolidEdge.

SolidWorks is a good one. Lots of companies use it and they run really good accreditation schemes. One we always look out for is the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) accreditation. If you get this under your belt it’s a clear indication you know your stuff when it comes to SolidWorks. There are associated costs but it might be worth looking in to.

6. Make your own company contact list: Why not take the bull by the horns and contact companies direct? This is something many graduates either don’t think about or are too nervous to do. It can be a bit daunting but what have you got to lose? The answer is nothing! Make a list of companies you’d like to work for and give them a call. But do remember it’s important to plan the call – who do you need to speak to and what are you going to say? Ultimately, you’ll be selling yourself so get your key messages sussed and think about what the end goal is i.e. send in your CAD portfolio, or maybe secure an interview, or better still get offered a job! If you achieve the latter from one phone call then maybe you should consider a job in sales...!

Well that's it! Some of the above may seem obvious, however it’s all important stuff and if implemented will increase your chances of securing your first CAD job.

Good luck with your exams, and don’t forget to send us your CV...or better still, your CV and CAD portfolio!

The Solid People Blogger.

Welcome to our blog!

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Hello and welcome to our first blog...

Well, the past few months have been busy here at Solid People HQ. We certainly get the feeling industry is picking up, with our clients gaining confidence in the economic recovery and therefore starting to invest in people again. This has been great to see...not only for us, but for our clients and our candidates, so long may it continue.

As a result of all this activity we thought it about time Solid People had a blog! The idea is to share our CAD recruitment experiences, knowledge, thoughts and any interesting stories with our readers. We're always happy to hear from you so by all means do join in and comment on our blogs.

Enjoy your evening and we'll be back soon with our first 'proper' blog.

Speak soon.

The Solid People Blogger.