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3D & CAD
Our AutoCAD courses are designed for both beginners looking to build a strong foundation in computer-aided design, and experienced users wanting to develop more advanced drafting and technical drawing workflows.
Delivered in Belfast, Dublin, and across the UK, these instructor-led courses provide practical, hands-on training in creating accurate 2D drawings and technical documentation using AutoCAD.
The Beginner course focuses on core drafting skills and essential workflows, helping learners understand the AutoCAD interface, drawing tools, object editing, layers, dimensions, annotations, layouts, and the principles of accurate technical drawing.
The Advanced course is designed for users who already understand the fundamentals and want to refine their skills through advanced drafting techniques, dynamic blocks, external references, annotation scaling, workflow automation, template management, and more efficient project workflows.
Suitable for architects, engineers, designers, construction professionals, manufacturers, and technical users, the courses emphasise practical workflows, drawing accuracy, and industry-standard techniques used across architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and product design.
By the end of the course, participants will be able to confidently create, edit, organise, and produce professional technical drawings using efficient AutoCAD workflows for a wide range of design and drafting projects.
What CAD is and how AutoCAD is used in industry
Overview of common AutoCAD applications
Understanding 2D drafting concepts
CAD standards and accuracy
Navigating the AutoCAD workspace
Understanding the command line
Toolbars, ribbons, and palettes
Zooming, panning, and view control
Creating new drawings and using templates
Units, scales, and drawing limits
Saving, opening, and managing files
Understanding DWG and DXF formats
Lines, polylines, rectangles, and circles
Arcs and basic shapes
Object snaps and tracking
Drawing accurately using coordinates
Move, copy, rotate, and scale
Trim, extend, offset, and mirror
Stretch and lengthen
Using grips and selection methods
Creating and managing layers
Layer properties such as colour, linetype, and lineweight
Using layers for clarity and control
Best practices for organised drawings
Object snaps and snap settings
Polar tracking and ortho mode
Using dimensions as design checks
Avoiding common accuracy errors
Adding and editing text
Text styles and formatting
Using dimensions correctly
Maintaining readable and consistent annotations
Understanding blocks and why they are used
Creating and inserting blocks
Editing blocks
Using blocks for symbols and repeated elements
Model space vs paper space
Creating layouts and viewports
Setting scales for plotting
Printing to scale
Lineweights and linetypes
Drawing cleanliness and consistency
File organisation and naming
Preparing drawings for sharing
Exporting to PDF and other formats
Sharing files with clients and teams
Basic CAD collaboration concepts
Avoiding common output issues
Guided drafting exercises
Editing and improving drawings
Applying tools to realistic scenarios
Q&A and workflow discussion
Confidence using AutoCAD for 2D drafting
Ability to create clean, accurate drawings
Understanding professional drafting workflows
Skills applicable to projects in Belfast, Dublin, and across the UK
Managing complex drawings and large files
Understanding drawing performance and stability
Working efficiently on multi-sheet projects
Common causes of errors in advanced drawings
Creating and managing drawing templates
Using CAD standards and layer naming conventions
Advanced layer filters and states
Maintaining consistency across projects
Advanced use of polylines and splines
Precision editing techniques
Advanced selection methods
Efficient use of grips and properties
Creating and managing complex blocks
Using dynamic blocks with parameters and actions
Editing and updating blocks across drawings
Best practices for block libraries
Annotative text and dimensions
Managing multiple scales
Maintaining legibility across viewports
Advanced text styles and fields
Custom dimension styles
Tolerances and advanced dimension settings
Controlling annotation visibility
Ensuring drawing clarity and compliance
Advanced paper space workflows
Managing multiple layouts and viewports
Plot styles, lineweights, and output consistency
Batch plotting and publish tools
Using Xrefs effectively
Layer management with Xrefs
Updating and coordinating referenced files
Avoiding common coordination problems
Extracting data from drawings
Using attributes and fields
Creating schedules and tables
Linking drawing data to documentation
Using tool palettes efficiently
Creating custom commands and macros
Introduction to scripts and action recorder
Automating repetitive tasks
Checking drawings for errors and consistency
Managing revisions and changes
File organisation and version control
Preparing drawings for issue
Working with consultants and external files
Importing and exporting data reliably
Managing DWG, DXF, and PDF workflows
Avoiding common exchange issues
Improving drawing speed and stability
Cleaning and auditing drawings
Managing large datasets
Troubleshooting common advanced issues
Advanced drafting and editing exercises
Workflow optimisation tasks
Troubleshooting real project examples
Q&A based on participant workflows
Advanced control over AutoCAD drawings
Faster, more accurate drafting workflows
Consistent, professional output
Skills applicable to projects in Belfast, Dublin, and across the UK
Claire Youd
Both course content and instructor knowledge is exceptional – fresh, engaging and relevant. The ongoing support that Big Rock Designs provides is a real plus. I plan to attend future courses and would recommend other do too!
Joanne Doherty
Although my Photoshop knowledge was very limited, I found the organised sessions very easy to follow and I was over the moon at the amount I had learned. I’m looking forward to putting it all into practice in the coming months ahead.
Lorna McGivern
As someone who has attended numerous digital workshops and training I can honestly say Big Rock Academy’s introduction to Photoshop was the best I’ve ever experienced. They excelled in teaching us the logic behind the main tools in a very easy to understand way.
Rachael Weir
I just completed the Advanced Photoshop course at Big Rock Academy and I’m extremely pleased with what I’ve learnt. I now feel equipped to put it into practice in my job. I had a great teacher and I was able to really get to grasps with the software very quickly.
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