By the end of 2023, the global CAD market is estimated to reach $11.21 billion, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 7%. This is largely due to the overall growth of the computer-aided design market, as these solutions help construction and engineering firms in a variety of ways. Increased productivity, faster project development prospects, greater product quality, and better visualisation of the end plan or product are some of the benefits.

To keep up with this increase, construction and engineering firms must find ways to keep labour costs low without sacrificing quality. Outsourcing is one solution.

CAD operators are well-suited to an offshore environment due to the digital nature of the profession. Outsourcing CAD operators to the Philippines is simple and cost-effective as long as your company is prepared to go offshore.

What are the benefits of outsourcing CAD operators?

Cost savings: 

• When compared to hiring domestically, employing an offshore CAD operator to support your local team with repetitive and time-consuming drafting activities for a fraction of the price can save you between 25% and 50% or more.

Increase in output efficiency and quality levels: 

•  Sending routine CAD operations and drafting chores to an offshore team in the Philippines frees up your onshore team’s time, budget, and project scope to focus on higher-value work. Your construction and engineering services will experience a significant rise in productivity.

Business growth and scaling opportunities: 

•  When you outsource time-consuming activities to an offshore CAD operator in the Philippines, your local staff will have more time to focus on growing earnings and opportunities for business growth and development. The increased capacity provided by your offshore workforce ensures that you may grow your business sustainably.

What qualifications, skills, and experience make a successful CAD operator?

Project and CAD success are fully dependent on the most recent software, so drafters must stay current with new approaches and technology in order to deliver the degree of support expected by organisations. To be a great CAD operator or draftsman, you must grasp and visualise how things work from project to project in order to produce high-quality computer drawings. 

They must be able to translate project visions and designs from interactions with architects and engineers into computer-drafted designs. CAD operators must also pay close attention to detail in order to produce brief and exact sketches that relevant project managers and contractors can understand.

Given the analytical and mathematical nature of the work, a degree or certificate in computer technology, architecture, drafting, or civil engineering is required. Because construction and engineering jobs are infamous for favouring hands-on experience over technical knowledge, internships are highly valued.

CAD operator roles can be categorised by years of working experience:

• Entry-level or junior: fewer than two years of supervised or unsupervised CAD design experience Working on smaller projects, revising old drawings, or moving archival drawings from paper to computer are examples of completed tasks.

• Intermediate: 2-4 years of CAD drafting experience is required. Management of a team of technicians, supervision of design office productivity levels, or overall project management activities could be undertaken.
• Senior: 4+ years of CAD drafting experience Tasks completed may include providing consulting services to engineers and architects, as well as clients, on project plans, buildings, and designs – often, Senior CAD drafters may begin to gravitate toward careers in engineering, particularly civil engineering.

What tools and systems do CAD operators need to be successful in their roles?

As they are continuously developing designs and plans for projects, CAD operators rely largely on computer software. However, each project or organisation may demand their CAD operators be proficient in specific software in order to fulfil their standards or to comply with internal business operating protocols. The most commonly used systems are:

Tips for employing Filipino CAD operators

• To provide the highest level of support for your onshore construction and engineering team, your CAD operators must be familiar with the systems and software that your company employs.
• Make sure to inform your talent acquisition team in the Philippines about the scope of projects and plans that your prospective offshore CAD operator will be working on. They will better comprehend schedules and expectations if they hire an offshore team member who has worked on similar project sizes in the past.
• From project to project, you can hire as many CAD operators as you need, and you can even hire senior CAD operators in the Philippines to supervise your offshore teams. If/when your offshore team expands to numerous employees, having one team head may guarantee that communication is streamlined and project updates are successfully conveyed to your onshore team.