new to archinect, seeking advice on avenues for Revit training:
Graduated with a 5-yr degree in 2009 immediately after the economic downturn in hard-hit NC, have in-firm experience limited to a single summer (between 4th yr degree in '08 + 5th yr degree in '09). After grad, I looked for an arch job for a few months but ended up working for a sustainable development design-build company for a couple years doing sketchup modeling and carpentry, loved it, but it didn't pay a living wage and we had to move for my fiance's new job. After move, spent 6 months sending out resumes and such to firms, nothing, started roofing to make ends meet, then fell into some health issues, now I have been out of work completely for 10 months.
Currently, we're seeing an uptick across the state similar to whats happening nationwide, and I'm trying to start up the arch search again (this time nationwide) but everybody wants proficiency in Revit. Revit was just gaining popularity as I left college and I never got exposure to the program. I have tried looking into classes and have been enrolled in 4 separate classes at community colleges and IMAGINIT, all of which have been cancelled 'due to low enrollment'. I have tried to seek the advise of the few professionals I have been able to keep in contact in the field, but have yet to get any sound advise on moving forward. I am reluctant to spend money on online classes (as I learn better in a classroom environment) but am willing to go this route if they provide an adequate level of understanding. Also curious if attaining a certification might help in this regard.
Unsure of where to go from here as I know few who have learned the program outside of school or a workshop an employer has set up. Advice?
zonker
Mar 7, 13 12:13 pm
use tutorials, then take some of your projects and re-create them in Revit - Revit 2013.2 that is - go to RevitKid.com - learn it thoroughly - if you get a job and have a hole in your knowledge - you will be fired - I've seen it happen - do learn families and parameters.
permatecture_nc
Mar 7, 13 12:17 pm
is there a free version of the program available to non-students?
CrazyHouseCat
Mar 7, 13 12:19 pm
There are a tone of "Revit 20xx, no experience needed" books out there. All will give good tutorial / training to newbies.
Autodesk will give you one year free trial license for the latest version of Revit if you are unemployeed. So, get it, and buy a fat book and follow it through. You'll learn Revit better and in more detail this way than from a class.
What you'll lack will be Revit "project" experience, but you'll be familiar with Revit enough to pick up quickly.
permatecture_nc
Mar 7, 13 12:28 pm
thanks Xenakis & CrazyHouseCat, we'll check it out
s=r*(theta)
Mar 7, 13 4:46 pm
i agree with previous post, if students in school can learn it so can you. there are a ton of tutorials on YouTube, plus at autodesk student they now offer 3yr download if you have working college email. I strongly agree redoing a simple studio project (3500sqft) over and over to increase speed and proficiency.
marisco
Mar 7, 13 4:51 pm
Another good resource for revit is http://revit-detail.blogspot.ca/ hasn't been updated in a while but the guy does a good job of walking you through a few real world examples of revit and especially using revit in such a way to generate better construction docs
zonker
Mar 7, 13 5:10 pm
And be sure to create lots of keyboard shortcuts -
Peter Normand
Mar 9, 13 11:04 am
Revit is a tricky program messing around for hours is what I recommend. I’m having a hard time keeping up with it at work but I am salary so I can spend as may late nights figuring out what I need to tell the program so I can get the results that I want.
Suggestions
Seek out local firms and ask to have access on evenings and weekends offer to produce families and get paid per completed family, you make some cash and learn the most important part of the software, and they can get doors windows, railings and other stuff set up the way they would like it.
Or, seek out a company that makes things people use in buildings, appliances, lighting, Garbage cans, furniture, or whatever you can find, tell them that architects are less likely to use your products if they don’t have good CAD and Revit downloads, find a competitor that has downloads and show them the website, then get them to give you a workstation and a contract and get to work helping them capture a bigger market share.
Community Colleges are teaching this software get an independent study after finishing a course and then you might have access to a lab with Revit and other programs. Take a course and do well so that the instructor trust you before giving you a key to the lab
Over and OUT
Peter N
permatecture_nc
Mar 11, 13 9:24 am
thanks for all the input folks
William Penland
Mar 20, 13 12:40 pm
am I correct in my discovery that Autodesk has changed it's terms of use regarding the education community and no longer offers the one year license to those of us who are unemployed? it appears they only allow students and faculty to download the free software now.
could an old college email / student id fulfill this obligation?
does anyone know if the 30-day trial is long enough to give one a basic knowledge?
arri
Mar 20, 13 4:15 pm
I learned Revit at a community college. I like asking questions to someone that knows more then me and even helping other students when I can.
Also, community college might be a good way for you to network. If you are personable you could get a recommendation from the instructors
Tried books but I just loose interest. Revit is still free for educational purposes for students.
In fact, I signed up using my gmail account. So at the very least double check. Here is the link. Also, try and study for Revit Certification. You could get Official Revit Training Guide book.
I learned REVIT and became pretty nasty at it when I was just flung into a project unexpectedly.
It's pretty straightforward. things like families, worksets, and design options might look a little intimidating but eventually you will get the hang of it.
BTW, I didn't even know AutoCAD after grad school. I started working for a firm that used microstation which was interesting and then when I jumped ship we used A-CAD which i felt more comfortable with. I have a little bigger knack for software intuition but I feel like all of these things are universally intuitive.
John Bohan
Sep 10, 13 7:48 pm
There are many ways to learn Revit. As an online teacher I will refer you to my preference. I teach small classes which are live and interactive on the internet using GoToMeeting. These classes are efficient and comprehensive, allowing you to practice the techniques with live supervision. The classes are designed after the ATC model but are 3 hours two days a week. Classes are customized for interior designers and engineers using project based assignments and individual classes where warranted. Please visit:
They will also do a day's training at an office with multiple employees. They've come to my office before to bring some newbies up to speed.
Also, I HIGHLY recommend Lynda.com for online Revit learning. You may be able to gain free access through a University login. Otherwise its worth the price for a month or two to go through all the Revit tutorials. Very useful.
BulgarBlogger
Nov 16, 16 12:31 pm
Learning revit does nit make u an architect. Learning to use your head is a hell of a lot harder than learning a software.
no_form
Nov 16, 16 12:44 pm
good luck getting in an office that uses Revit if you have only academic or self-taught knowledge. even entry level jobs want you to already have experience in an office setting. how you get that with 1 or less years of experience is beyond me.
BulgarBlogger
Nov 16, 16 4:59 pm
Knowing REVIT right of school will help you get a job for sure. However, at larger firms, it will get you stuck in the production department. Can you hand draw a plan to a scale without tracing over anything? When you draw with REVIT / CAD for a few years, your understanding about those things gets a little lost... ALL I AM SAYING is that it is vital for an architect to not forget the skills he attains in school, otherwise he'll just become a producer....
Non Sequitur
Feb 17, 21 1:07 pm
So I guess the BGH did not take too kindly to Rick (no, not that one) advertising his revit training courses... but why the exile now when the same links were posted back in 2013, and remained untouched until today?
SneakyPete
Feb 17, 21 1:19 pm
nobody flagged it in 2013, possibly because there wasn't a flag link in 2013.
new to archinect, seeking advice on avenues for Revit training:
Graduated with a 5-yr degree in 2009 immediately after the economic downturn in hard-hit NC, have in-firm experience limited to a single summer (between 4th yr degree in '08 + 5th yr degree in '09). After grad, I looked for an arch job for a few months but ended up working for a sustainable development design-build company for a couple years doing sketchup modeling and carpentry, loved it, but it didn't pay a living wage and we had to move for my fiance's new job. After move, spent 6 months sending out resumes and such to firms, nothing, started roofing to make ends meet, then fell into some health issues, now I have been out of work completely for 10 months.
Currently, we're seeing an uptick across the state similar to whats happening nationwide, and I'm trying to start up the arch search again (this time nationwide) but everybody wants proficiency in Revit. Revit was just gaining popularity as I left college and I never got exposure to the program. I have tried looking into classes and have been enrolled in 4 separate classes at community colleges and IMAGINIT, all of which have been cancelled 'due to low enrollment'. I have tried to seek the advise of the few professionals I have been able to keep in contact in the field, but have yet to get any sound advise on moving forward. I am reluctant to spend money on online classes (as I learn better in a classroom environment) but am willing to go this route if they provide an adequate level of understanding. Also curious if attaining a certification might help in this regard.
Unsure of where to go from here as I know few who have learned the program outside of school or a workshop an employer has set up. Advice?
use tutorials, then take some of your projects and re-create them in Revit - Revit 2013.2 that is - go to RevitKid.com - learn it thoroughly - if you get a job and have a hole in your knowledge - you will be fired - I've seen it happen - do learn families and parameters.
is there a free version of the program available to non-students?
There are a tone of "Revit 20xx, no experience needed" books out there. All will give good tutorial / training to newbies.
Autodesk will give you one year free trial license for the latest version of Revit if you are unemployeed. So, get it, and buy a fat book and follow it through. You'll learn Revit better and in more detail this way than from a class.
What you'll lack will be Revit "project" experience, but you'll be familiar with Revit enough to pick up quickly.
thanks Xenakis & CrazyHouseCat, we'll check it out
i agree with previous post, if students in school can learn it so can you. there are a ton of tutorials on YouTube, plus at autodesk student they now offer 3yr download if you have working college email. I strongly agree redoing a simple studio project (3500sqft) over and over to increase speed and proficiency.
Another good resource for revit is http://revit-detail.blogspot.ca/ hasn't been updated in a while but the guy does a good job of walking you through a few real world examples of revit and especially using revit in such a way to generate better construction docs
And be sure to create lots of keyboard shortcuts -
Revit is a tricky program messing around for hours is what I recommend. I’m having a hard time keeping up with it at work but I am salary so I can spend as may late nights figuring out what I need to tell the program so I can get the results that I want.
Suggestions
Seek out local firms and ask to have access on evenings and weekends offer to produce families and get paid per completed family, you make some cash and learn the most important part of the software, and they can get doors windows, railings and other stuff set up the way they would like it.
Or, seek out a company that makes things people use in buildings, appliances, lighting, Garbage cans, furniture, or whatever you can find, tell them that architects are less likely to use your products if they don’t have good CAD and Revit downloads, find a competitor that has downloads and show them the website, then get them to give you a workstation and a contract and get to work helping them capture a bigger market share.
Community Colleges are teaching this software get an independent study after finishing a course and then you might have access to a lab with Revit and other programs. Take a course and do well so that the instructor trust you before giving you a key to the lab
Over and OUT
Peter N
thanks for all the input folks
am I correct in my discovery that Autodesk has changed it's terms of use regarding the education community and no longer offers the one year license to those of us who are unemployed? it appears they only allow students and faculty to download the free software now.
could an old college email / student id fulfill this obligation?
does anyone know if the 30-day trial is long enough to give one a basic knowledge?
I learned Revit at a community college. I like asking questions to someone that knows more then me and even helping other students when I can.
Also, community college might be a good way for you to network. If you are personable you could get a recommendation from the instructors
Tried books but I just loose interest. Revit is still free for educational purposes for students.
In fact, I signed up using my gmail account. So at the very least double check. Here is the link. Also, try and study for Revit Certification. You could get Official Revit Training Guide book.
http://students.autodesk.com/
http://tinyurl.com/d3a2jtd
I learned REVIT and became pretty nasty at it when I was just flung into a project unexpectedly.
It's pretty straightforward. things like families, worksets, and design options might look a little intimidating but eventually you will get the hang of it.
BTW, I didn't even know AutoCAD after grad school. I started working for a firm that used microstation which was interesting and then when I jumped ship we used A-CAD which i felt more comfortable with. I have a little bigger knack for software intuition but I feel like all of these things are universally intuitive.
There are many ways to learn Revit. As an online teacher I will refer you to my preference. I teach small classes which are live and interactive on the internet using GoToMeeting. These classes are efficient and comprehensive, allowing you to practice the techniques with live supervision. The classes are designed after the ATC model but are 3 hours two days a week. Classes are customized for interior designers and engineers using project based assignments and individual classes where warranted. Please visit:
http://www.3DArchitecture.info
We've recently amassed a long training lineup for Revit:
http://www.digitaltutors.com/software/Revit-tutorials
Here's the Introduction to Revit course:
http://www.digitaltutors.com/tutorial/1317-Introduction-to-Revit-2014
All training is created by industry professionals, it's available 24/7 and takes a project-based approach to help you learn from the ground up.
Look for new training weekly too.
Do you know any school in NYC in order to learn Revit?
Best,
E
These guys do:
http://www.microsolresources.com/training/
They will also do a day's training at an office with multiple employees. They've come to my office before to bring some newbies up to speed.
Also, I HIGHLY recommend Lynda.com for online Revit learning. You may be able to gain free access through a University login. Otherwise its worth the price for a month or two to go through all the Revit tutorials. Very useful.
Learning revit does nit make u an architect. Learning to use your head is a hell of a lot harder than learning a software.
good luck getting in an office that uses Revit if you have only academic or self-taught knowledge. even entry level jobs want you to already have experience in an office setting. how you get that with 1 or less years of experience is beyond me.
Knowing REVIT right of school will help you get a job for sure. However, at larger firms, it will get you stuck in the production department. Can you hand draw a plan to a scale without tracing over anything? When you draw with REVIT / CAD for a few years, your understanding about those things gets a little lost... ALL I AM SAYING is that it is vital for an architect to not forget the skills he attains in school, otherwise he'll just become a producer....
So I guess the BGH did not take too kindly to Rick (no, not that one) advertising his revit training courses... but why the exile now when the same links were posted back in 2013, and remained untouched until today?
nobody flagged it in 2013, possibly because there wasn't a flag link in 2013.