AutoCAD 2D for the Construction Professional

Level(s) of Study: Short course; Professional
Course Fee:
£750
Start Date(s): 7 December 2026, 7 June 2027
Duration: Monday to Wednesday 10am - 4 pm, three days
Study Mode(s): Part-time
Campus: City Campus
Entry Requirements: More information

Introduction:

This course provides a structured, practical introduction to AutoCAD 2D, the world’s most widely used computer-aided design platform, with a specific focus on construction industry applications.

Participants progress from first principles to professional-level drawing production under the guidance of an experienced lecturer with a strong background in digital construction tools.

The course culminates in the internationally recognised Autodesk Certified User (ACU) examination, giving delegates a portable qualification that is valued by employers globally.

You’ll be part of a professional learning community in a collaborative studio setting that promotes discussion, practical problem-solving, and the sharing of real industry experience.
With a limited class size you’ll have the one-to-one attention you need to ensure you leave with the skills to produce professional AutoCAD drawings confidently and independently.
Benefit from learning with an experienced tutor who has established links to the construction profession, has delivered AutoCAD training to hundreds of professionals and engineering students, and is active in industry-relevant research.
On successful completion of the course you will receive a digital certificate of attendance and a digital badge. Participants who achieve a Certiport score of 700 or above will also receive the internationally recognised Autodesk AutoCAD Certified User certificate.

For CITB-registered employers, Employer Network funding is available subject to CITB pre‑approval agreed with your CITB Local Advisor.

“The course was well structured and the tutor made even complex commands feel straightforward. I came in with no CAD experience and left able to produce proper construction drawings.”

“Excellent pace and very hands-on. The real-world construction examples made everything relevant to my day job immediately.”

“The small class size made a huge difference – questions were always answered thoroughly and the tutor genuinely adapted to what the group needed.”.

What you’ll study

The ability to produce and communicate through technical drawings is a fundamental competency for every construction professional. AutoCAD 2D remains the industry standard for two-dimensional drafting in construction, engineering, and architecture worldwide, and proficiency in the software is expected across a wide range of roles from site engineers and contractors to designers, project managers, and surveyors.

This course bridges the gap between understanding construction drawings conceptually and being able to produce them to a professional standard. You will learn how to navigate AutoCAD’s interface efficiently, apply precision drafting tools, manage layered drawings, and produce output-ready construction plans, sections, and details, the practical deliverables required on live projects.

Critically, this course includes a formal industry accredited certification pathway. Participants who complete the Autodesk Certified User (ACU) examination with a Certiport score of 700 or above will receive an Autodesk AutoCAD certificate that is recognised by employers globally. This makes the course not just a training event but a genuine career milestone.

During this course, you will:

Set up and navigate the AutoCAD 2D interface, configure workspaces, and use coordinate systems and dynamic input.

Draw, edit, and manipulate core construction elements including lines, rectangles, circles, arcs, polylines, and polygons.

Work with precision using grid and snap tools, object snap tracking, and coordinate entry for dimensionally accurate drawings.

Modify objects using move, copy, rotate, scale, mirror, offset, trim, extend, fillet, and chamfer commands.

Organise complex drawings using layer management, change object properties, and control layer visibility.

Apply hatching and gradients and annotate drawings using text, dimensions, and drawing schedules.

Insert and manage blocks to reuse standard construction components efficiently.

Prepare drawings for plotting and printing using layouts, viewports, and print/plot configuration.

Complete the Autodesk Certified User (ACU) test via Certiport to achieve internationally recognised AutoCAD certification.

Interface and 2D Drawing Fundamentals:

Interface orientation, workspace setup, and file management. Coordinate systems, dynamic input, and direct distance entry. Drawing lines, rectangles, circles, arcs, and polygons. Basic selection and editing commands. Software installation on personal laptops.

Drawing with Accuracy: Grid and snap configuration:

Object snap and object snap tracking. Relative and absolute coordinate entry. Polylines, splines, and construction lines. Construction drawing conventions.

Modifying and Organising Objects:

Move, copy, rotate, scale, mirror, and array. Offset, trim, extend, fillet, and chamfer. Grip editing. Layer creation, management, and visibility control.

Annotation and Drawing Standards:

Single-line and multiline text, text styles. Dimensions: linear, angular, radial, and aligned. Dimension styles and tolerances.

Hatching, Blocks, and Reusable Components:

Hatch patterns and gradients. Inserting and managing blocks. Building a library of standard construction components.

Layouts, Printing, and Drawing Production:

Model and paper space layouts. Viewports, scales, and plot styles. Plotting to PDF and paper. Drawing templates and office standards.

Revision, Practice, and Certification Assessment:

Full course review and guided practice. Autodesk Certified User (ACU) examination via Certiport. Results, feedback, and next steps.

How you’re taught

This course is delivered through a structured programme of hands-on practical workshops, tutor-led demonstrations, and guided exercises based on real construction drawing scenarios. Participants spend the majority of contact time working directly in AutoCAD, building practical confidence alongside conceptual understanding. There are opportunities for group discussion, peer review of drawings, and one-to-one tutor support throughout.

The course includes the Autodesk Certified User (ACU) examination, delivered online on campus via Certiport. The test consists of 30 questions (a combination of theory and practical tasks) completed within 50 minutes.

This course will be delivered in person on Nottingham Trent University city campus.

Contact hours

You will receive 33 contact hours of quality tuition with an experienced tutor.

Tutor profile:

Chinedu Onweh is a Lecturer in Construction Management at the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University, and an Hourly Paid Lecturer in the Civil Engineering department. He is an experienced educator with a strong industry focus whose teaching spans undergraduate programmes, degree apprenticeships, and professional short courses.

Chinedu has delivered AutoCAD training extensively, including the ten-week AutoCAD 2D for Construction Professionals short course and integrated CAD modules for civil engineering and construction management students at NTU. He also teaches Integration of Engineering Applications and Engineering Skills at undergraduate level, ensuring his approach to AutoCAD is always grounded in real construction practice and connected to the full digital toolkit of the modern engineer.

His academic background includes an undergraduate degree in Engineering and an MSc in Civil Engineering. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Nottingham Trent University focused on retrofitting the UK's ageing building stock for a Net Zero future and the practical assessment of carbon footprints in construction projects. This research has received press coverage in The Telegraph and contributed to the peer-reviewed publication: A Review of Energy Efficiency Strategies in Smart Buildings: Integrating Occupant Comfort, HVAC Optimisation, and Building Automation (Sustainability journal, 2025).

Chinedu’s depth of technical knowledge, combined with his practical teaching experience across apprenticeship and undergraduate routes, makes him an authoritative and approachable guide for this certification programme.

Careers and employability

The course is designed to prepare you to succeed in the civil, structural, and construction industry. Students who have taken this course have come from a wide variety of backgrounds including site engineers, structural technicians, quantity surveyors, project managers, architectural technologists, contractors, and public sector officers.

AutoCAD proficiency is listed as an essential or desirable requirement in the majority of construction and engineering job advertisements in the UK. Completing this course and achieving the Autodesk Certified User (ACU) qualification gives you a portable, internationally recognised credential to display on your CV, LinkedIn profile, and digital badge wallet.

After the course, you will be able to progress onto the BIM and AutoDesk Revit for the Construction Professional course to advance from 2D drafting to full 3D information modelling.

Certificate of attendance and digital badge

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a digital certificate of attendance and a digital badge powered by Accredible. Participants achieving a Certiport score of 700 or above will also receive the Autodesk AutoCAD Certified User certificate.

Your digital credential is more than just a certificate. It’s secure, verifiable, and protected against fraud through encryption and blockchain technology.

They also come with detailed metadata, including an overview of the skills you have achieved on the course, evidence of completion, and assessment criteria if appropriate.

Share your achievements seamlessly with friends, customers, and potential employers online, and proudly add your badge or certificate to social media platforms such as LinkedIn, so all the right people can see it.

Campus and facilities

You will be based in the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment on the City Campus.

You’ll work in our spacious IT suites equipped with industry-standard software including AutoCAD.

You will receive an email one week before the course starts with joining instructions on where to go for the first day.

You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.

Entry requirements

Level: Professional

Entry requirement: No prior experience of AutoCAD software is required, although you must have basic computer skills and be familiar with Windows operating systems and file management. A background in construction, engineering, or a related built environment discipline is useful but not essential.

You must be over the age of 18 in order to attend this course.

Fees and funding

The fee for this course is £750.

Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to your company.

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.

You will also need to bring with you:

Notepad and pen
A USB memory stick or cloud storage access to save your project files

Computers with AutoCAD 2026 are available in the IT suites for use during the course

Please bring a Windows laptop if you have one — we will install the software for you during the first session, so you can continue practising at home after each class

Read the terms and conditions of booking.