Software Expertise vs. Technical Subject Knowledge

[Ogre]

While it may be true in most fields that you need the Technical side before the CAD side, it is not always true...

I worked for the #1 Elevator company in the world as a LISP programmer...Granted, I programmed, but I also needed to know how to draw the layouts before I could program them...This required no official "Elevator experience" just knowledge of how to program and draft...

I was laid off Dec 31 of '04 and got hired with the company that I am working for today 6 months later...I am now working in the Theatrical and Architectural Dimming industry...This is a very specialized industry and when hiring, you cannot look for temp labor because every company is so different...I had no Theatrical or Architectural background, but fortunately they took a chance on me...Now I am the CAD Manager (shared with my supervisor), the CAD Trainer, the drafter, and the custom programmer all in one...I was able to grasp the product quickly and have helped design multiple systems worth over $200K each...

The point is that it is not always Technical over Software...You need to make sure that they have a little of both, but make sure that the person has the brain power to grow if they do not have the technical expertise...See what they already know and find out how long it took them to learn it...Can any of their other skills be used in conjunction to the normal routine that can help your department grow? While you may not end up with the best position player, you could end up with a great utility player that can add a whole new dimension...

A lot of times that is a gamble, but that gamble could pay off in more ways than you can expect...

[jaberwok]

The point is that it is not always Technical over Software...You need to make sure that they have a little of both, but make sure that the person has the brain power to grow if they do not have the technical expertise...See what they already know and find out how long it took them to learn it...Can any of their other skills be used in conjunction to the normal routine that can help your department grow? While you may not end up with the best position player, you could end up with a great utility player that can add a whole new dimension...

A good point when only one or two people are required to do "everything" but IMHO it just doesn't suit many (especially larger) organisations.

[Ammon]

Just adding my $0.02

I personally find it easier to train people in the technical knowledge rather than in good CAD practices. Understanding the software is one thing, but bad CAD habits are hard to break. I work in the Civil field and as long as an individual has a desire to learn and a basic understanding of CAD it is better to leave all the Engineering to the EIT's and the Engineers and let the person learn the idiosyncosies with experience. I would much prefer a person who does not understand Civil Engineering but has the desire to learn and has excellent drafting skills over an EIT who hates drafting and has poor habits.

[Doodlemusmaximus]

Its been interesting reading some of the comments made in here relating to who would be best hired. i think that the correct balance is required between both. Ive seen people who had good technical knowledge but couldn't manage the basics on CAD and vice versa.

If you're looking for someone you need someone I beleive with a technical knowledge that can still use the program, or someone that can use the program that has a basic technical skill. Either way it would tend to suggest that the candidate would be trainablke in either instance. You'll always get the gurus on the program and if they are complimented with someone who has technical knowledge then you'll have a balanced department. One will help the other.

[pferreira]

A poet is someone who knows how to write poems with or without a pencil and a paper!
I am not a poet but I know how to use a pencil and a paper!
I took a 3 year course to learn the good art of draftsman, and I have learned the basic cad in 8 hours, to start working! The software expertise is something that is important but takes very less time to learn and to start applying, if we have a good technical knowledge of what we have to do!

[ag362370]

Please Define "CWP"
Thanks.

[dkoch]

Please Define "CWP"
Thanks.

Given the context, I would say that it stands for Concealed Weapons Permit.

[reikajapan]

This is an interesting subject and historically speaking it has changed over a relatively short time. When CAD was fairly new and rapidly expanding (lets say mid 1980's) everyone in the industry had board experience, and of course, in a particular engineering discipline or architecture, etc. So when jobs opened up that required CAD everyone assumed from your years of board experience that you knew the discipline; consequently their main focus was on your CAD knowledge. Over the years since then it seems more people have taken CAD classes that apparently, more often than not, focused solely on the software. So now fast forward 25 years and there are lots of CAD techs that know the software inside out but may not know much about drafting or knowledge in an engineering discipline. Given the above, today I would focus interviews on the engineering knowledge and less on the CAD knowledge.

[jaberwok]

This is an interesting subject and historically speaking it has changed over a relatively short time. When CAD was fairly new and rapidly expanding (lets say mid 1980's) everyone in the industry had board experience, and of course, in a particular engineering discipline or architecture, etc. So when jobs opened up that required CAD everyone assumed from your years of board experience that you knew the discipline; consequently their main focus was on your CAD knowledge. Over the years since then it seems more people have taken CAD classes that apparently, more often than not, focused solely on the software. So now fast forward 25 years and there are lots of CAD techs that know the software inside out but may not know much about drafting or knowledge in an engineering discipline. Given the above, today I would focus interviews on the engineering knowledge and less on the CAD knowledge.

An excellent history lesson. +1.

[Misteracad]

An excellent history lesson. +1.

I second that. Cheers