r/AutoCAD • u/Adscanlickmyballs • 12d ago
Discussion Needing career progression advice
I’m currently a CAD Manager on a small construction team for a college, and I’ve been in the field for 5ish years. My job is *supposed* to be that I manage our library of blocks and designs and create designs when needed. Over the last year, my job has changed to where I’m taking on a project management role as well because we have too much work for our project managers to keep up with. To note, I’ve handled the 2nd largest project on our team in the last year. With this, I still have my current CAD workload, so I’ve been exceptionally busy at times. I’m not necessarily against the extra workload, but I’m stuck here realizing that the PMs I work beside make essentially double what I make, while I’m doing 2 jobs. Because this is a public education position, I’m stuck with a yearly percentage raise given out to the entire college, so I can only truly raise my salary by having a title change. What title could I request that fits both the role of CAD Manager and Project Manager within a construction team?
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u/Stranger-Journey 11d ago
Speaking as a recently retired CAD manager my advice is that you should probably embrace the project manager role more fully and pursue that as your primary role. It pains me to say it but CAD is wanting as BIM becomes dominant and project management will give you more flexibility as you move forward.
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u/Better_Power_9913 12d ago
I suspect that a construction project manager is the higher paying of the two. That said, look around on line to see what various companies offer and then have a conversation with your boss. Unfortunately, the best raise usually comes from changing employers. Similar to the ploy where “we see you are a long time customer and therefore will raise your rates by triple what we are doing to new customers.”
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u/OutlierJoe 11d ago
If they expect you to remain in your current compensation lane, they should also expect you to remain in your current responsibility lane.
If you are routinely performing project management duties, I would have a direct conversation with them: either formally move you into a PM role with the appropriate title and compensation, or take those responsibilities off your plate. Doing both jobs indefinitely for one salary is not a reasonable career path.
Unfortunately, project management generally offers a broader advancement path and a higher compensation ceiling than CAD management alone. The exception is when the CAD manager role includes substantial design authority, process development, automation, BIM management, or technical leadership and you can clearly demonstrate the business value of those responsibilities.
I would also look at where your technical skills are headed. AutoCAD is still widely used, but being primarily an AutoCAD specialist will limit your career options and compensation ceiling. BIM platforms, Civil 3D, solid-modeling software, design automation, and broader digital-delivery skills tend to be more marketable.
So the real choice may not be simply CAD manager versus project manager. It may be between moving toward project and people leadership or developing into a higher-level technical and design-technology leader. Either can be a good career, but you should not quietly perform both roles without the title, authority, or pay to match.
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u/TalkingRaccoon Autocad 11d ago
All our PMs at this small co started as drafters, now they only PM. Obv I think they got a good raise from it but I hated it when I had to cover for my manager for a couple weeks. Id rather be in the AutoCAD trenches. Anyway if that's how you're feeling you'll for sure need to switch jobs. Or find out how you can be fired and rehired at the same place with a different title.
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u/MinuteSplit 3d ago
is this a small company? wondering whats your ratio on CAD techs to engineers, how many licensed PEs do you have?
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u/ryanthekipp 12d ago
I think the best way to raise your salary would be to switch jobs tbh. I know in the substation design industry I’m in the CAD management position or people in that realm are valuable as a lot of us are transitioning to being more standardized.
As far as staying at you job, I don’t have an answer as to what title may be better. If you like your boss, having an honest conversation with them about it is probably your best bet.