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Shawn I just googled: AUTOCAD 13 free download (they will provide a disk if you request one). Cost $210
I don’t recommend other programs because ACAD is the default program, and if you move from office to office you will need to know ACAD. After learning ACAD learn Photoshop, get Sketch up and you will become a STAR.
Have a great weekend.

There are limitations, buy the full ACAD13. I would say that 90% of companies using ACAD have the full version.

Look at Bricscad or other Intellicad options. They are clones of AutoCAD, but at much more affordable pricing. The commands are nearly identical to AutoCAD, so the AutoCAD instructional books should be fine. They have “LT” versions and you can buy them rather than lease.
There are several brands of Intellicad  – Accelicad, Cadopia, CMS, Progecad, …

Anyway suggestions for purchasing the LT version or an older version (including regular CAD if possible) at an affordable price? The free LT version is the typical 30-day trial and Autodesk charges 45/month or 360/year. The problem I always run into is having a program for a short amount of time or paying a hefty price for it. I saw an Autocad…[Read more]

That’s what our firm uses. It works fine. You just can’t draw in 3D. We find sketch works great for 3D anyways. I think there are some other minor perks with full but for the price, Lt is fine. Some firms around here use vectorworks too but AutoCAD is the standard.

What about Autocad LT? does it matter?

I suggest you go on-line search for an purchase ACAD 2013 and ACAD for Dummies and /teach yourself.
if you have had basic drafting you can learn fairly quickly. Ask freinds if they have some non beginning drafting examples.
I taught myself and consider myself to be an “expert”.
Go for it.  

My advice is to network. When I moved after university, I didn’t know anybody, so I got in touch with the local landscape architecture board and asked if there were any upcoming events or lectures that I could attend. I joined garden clubs, a drawing club, and a local network to get children in nature. I also followed local design projects online…[Read more]

The technology to fill in the gaps is catching up balancing features with $. I just purchased this Leica s910 setup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWX7PVToYs0

Maybe the first question should be “why are you teaching and not practicing?”.

I’ll check out the mentor option. Thanks.

Around here Autocad is king.  My knowledge of Solid Works is minimal, however 3D isn’t a strong requirement in many offices.  CE’s do use Civil3D and Architects use Revit as well, but most LA’s I know do not use 3D.  It’s fun to work in 3D, but around here there isn’t a strong demand for it.
My recommendation is to stick with vanilla Autocad, un…[Read more]

Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your reply.
I have already mentioned in my post that I have thought about taking certificate courses in CAD and even Solid Works at my local campus but they are at night (6:30pm – 9:30pm) and I have a night job (2:30pm – 10:30pm). I understand that I need CAD experience but isn’t CAD from school good enough. I am familiar…[Read more]

Shawn,
I agree with the people who mentioned CE and LS firms.  This is how I started and when things slowed in the office, I went outside as a rodman and learned surveying.  Working with engineers and surveyors really paid off in the long run.  As an LA our projects ultimately consist of working with the land, so understanding a survey, gr…[Read more]

Our own LANewsDigest had an article in the last issue giving as close to a “state of things” as we can get from surveying our own profession, and it is described as “tepid.”
https://www.asla.org/land/LandArticle.aspx?id=49538
Of course, that is not a prediction. And it’s hard to get a pulse anyway, when there are wide variations in focus and size…[Read more]

https://placesjournal.org/news/after-the-election/

https://landscapearchitecturemagazine.org/2016/11/15/get-ready/

We live & die by oil down here in Texas. Simple as that. To be fair, there are other industries that shore things up, but when the oil guys are down & out, everyone feels it. I’m in favor of meaningful regulations, but want fewer of the ones that aren’t accomplishing anything. And $3.00/gal gas (currently $2.00/gal around here). $3.00 seems to be…[Read more]