Training CAD software has come a long way since 1989, there is no need to explain AutoCAD commands on a screeching Blackboard which was then replaced by whiteboards followed by overhead projectors moving to video projectors and finally today we have the amazing seventy-inch classroom displays
My courses are now mostly run on Adobe’s Virtual Classroom software. That gives me a classroom in the cloud wandering to where and when the training is needed.
All I need is a single URL link http://Adobe.com and I can walk into anyone’s home while they put the kettle before the training begins. If the delegates are at work I am instantly teleported onto their desk. I have never been so far away yet so close to my delegates what a fantastic time.
There are lots of people who love virtual training, and there are still lots of people who are unconvinced by the whole thing. So, I have written a typical example of what happens throughout the day of an Autodesk Certified Instructor. Hopefully, this will show that although the trainees are either in their homes or working from the office, whatever the CAD software they are being trained on the content we deliver is the same, and the interaction between trainee and trainer is still there.
9:15 Session starts
9:21 Delegate joined from London
9:22 Delegate joined from Manchester
9:23 Delegate joined from John O Groats
9:30 The course starts I am presenting in the delegate's own home, free from the distractions of the office. There is no delay to the start of the course caused by traffic jams or bad weather. No long wait wondering where the missing delegates are. The course continues.
9:50 A delegate is working from a conference room at work reports to be an emergency on the shop floor. A machine has broken and needs attention otherwise the target of 9000 production parts for the week will not be met. I realize the serious nature of the request and say that I will re-schedule the break from 10:30 to 10:00 to let them go and fix the problem.
The course continues to look at
- Working with Commands
- The Ribbon
- Application Menu
10:00 Break the delegates go away and have their favorite coffee and snack.
10:15 I asked the delegate who had the problem with the machine if they needed more time to fix the problem. I said we could finish the course later if they needed more time to fix the machine. He said that he had fixed the problem. It was an intermittent problem that could occur any time during the production run but was easily fixed by removing the problem part from the machine. I was relieved and so was he. The course continued without him worrying about the machine and he could focus on the course.
The course continues to look at
- Quick Access Toolbar
- Model Browser
- Viewing Your Drawings
- Using Navigation Tools
- The Wheel Mouse Zoom and Pan
- View Cube
11:00 Delegates are now comfortable with the Virtual classroom and start to ask questions. I am able to help them at any point in the day all they have to do is share their screen and I can take control of it if needed.
11:30 Delegates are now using Autodesk Inventor to model parts on their own and I am able to watch them and show them more effective modeling techniques.
The course continues to look at:
- The Benefits of display and model manipulation.
- Creating sketch geometry and the importance of constraints.
- Selecting Hidden Entities.
- File Naming.
- Creating New Part Files.
- Creating Base Features.
- Extruding Base Features.
- Revolving Base Feature.Showing Dimensions.
12:25 I ask the delegates if they would like one hour for lunch or half an hour. If they choose the latter then the course can finish half an hour earlier which they may need if they have children to pick up from school.
12:30 Lunch break the delegates can go to their own kitchen and get their lunch. They are able to discuss preparations for tea with their partner or catch up on emails from the office, or watch the lunchtime news on TV.
13:30 The afternoon session begins the course moves at the delegate's own pace. The course continues.
14:00 A delegate has a knock on the door it is a very important parcel is being delivered. He goes to sort it out in less than 5 minutes.
14:30 Afternoon Break and the course continues
16:30 The course finishes no need for a long journey home from the classroom no traffic jams or road works no need to claim expenses for mileage hotels or the hire of a car. Just shut the laptop lid and then sit down for a nice evening meal that was planned during lunchtime.
There are other Advantages to VILT (Virtual Instructor-Led Training) courses, just a few months ago I delivered a Fusion 360 Essentials course, nothing out of the ordinary there apart from the trainees were all from Sweden. There was no flight was needed, no 2-hour wait to get through airport security, no weather problems or announcements the plane is late and I will be delayed, no, hire cars needed or long drives to and from the Airport!! We even adjusted the timing of the training course to make it easier for the people in the Nordics
Virtual Classroom Training is as close as we can make it to the physical classroom, students can see and hear the trainer at all times, and the trainer can see them, they can ask questions and the trainer can take control of their machine, just as he would in a normal classroom. At the moment until we are all comfortably using virtual reality technology there is not a 100% direct replacement for classroom training, but Symetri’s Virtual Classroom training is a very good alternative for Covid times and beyond. As I mentioned earlier we don’t have geographical problems, people don’t have to travel to a classroom and we can also reach out to trainees in other countries.
These are the reasons why even when this pandemic is over and we can safely return to our classrooms then we will still be delivering a lot of training virtually, historically we on many occasions we have been asked to deliver the same training sessions to large companies with offices spread throughout the world. Although it was possible the costs and time needed to deliver this meant it rarely happened. With VILT courses it is now a viable option meaning for large companies, for example, upgrading their CAD software or introducing a new package or workflow then we can deliver it all to everyone, ensuring that we have standardization, same content, even the same trainer to all of their employees.
So this was just one day in the life of an Autodesk authorized trainer as you can see training is now easily available to anyone any time anywhere in the world
Take a look in more detail about our virtual training courses and view our full training schedule and decide if you would like to attend the course in person or virtually whichever suits your business needs.
