Subject: re: la and autocad

From: [email-masked] (Lisa Nunamaker-Orgler)
Date: 17 Feb 1995 19:15:42 GMT

I just wanted to back up Michael Gaunt's warning about AutoCAD in    the
landscape architecture profession.  IT IS VERY      IMPORTANT.  Though you
may be a firm    believer that computers are not beautiful, it may be that
one skill that will get you that first job.  I did not take AutoCAD classes
in college, but I was lucky enough to learn it on the job  -  lucky for me
beacause everyone that is hired in our office now MUST have Auto CAD
experecause Don't be     scared of it - it is a wonderful, time-saving tool. 
Take the initiative in school and learn it.  It will make you stand out in
the      crowd.   Good luck!

-- 
Lisa L Orgler
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (alan turner)
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 1995 19:24:25

I'd say that Cad experience is important, not AutoCad per se.

If a job involves driving, rational employers ask "can you drive a car", 
not "can you drive a Toyota?"  

An employer that wasn't interested in hiring someone who was adept at a 
different program because of the three days or so it would take to transfer 
those skills to whatever they used is not someone I'd want to work for.

Learn whatever cad program is available to you.  Autocad has a great 
academic discount, so if _nothing_ is offered at your school, you could 
still buy it, get the book, do the tutorials, and learn the concepts.  So 
does Microstation.  There are other cad programs that cost even less, 
again, you learn the basic concepts with them. 

Having said that, I'll add:  bring some plots or other output to your 
interview, especially if you're self-taught!  "I have learned a cad program" 
is only hot air without some examples of what you can do.