Hi everyone! I’m a student teacher finishing up my education program and need some guidance. During my university courses we learned AutoCAD and SketchUp which were fantastic to work with. However I’m wondering if public high schools actually have licenses for these expensive programs or if they use different software instead.
Can anyone share what design and drafting applications their schools provide? I’m located in NSW but would love to hear from teachers anywhere. I want to get comfortable with whatever tools I’ll actually be using in the classroom before I start my final practicum.
My previous placement didn’t go smoothly and I want to be as ready as possible this time around. Any recommendations for free or low cost alternatives that schools commonly use would also be helpful.
yea, fusion 360 is super popular - many schools grab those free ed licenses! solidworks is also common, but budget is tight. some places still have those old autoCAD versions, kinda funny tbh. just ask ur school what they use
Most public high schools run on tight budgets, so they go for free software over premium licenses. Fusion 360’s huge right now because Autodesk gives free educational licenses - students get professional CAD tools without the cost. TinkerCAD’s popular for intro classes since it runs in browsers and doesn’t have a steep learning curve. Some schools still use older AutoCAD versions through education deals, but that depends on district funding. I’ve seen schools try FreeCAD and LibreCAD as open-source options, though they’re not as user-friendly as the commercial stuff. Here’s the thing - your ability to adapt matters way more than knowing specific software. Students learn better when you focus on design principles that work across platforms instead of making them dependent on one tool.
good question! what subject are u planning to teach? i’ve seen schools use different programs depending on whether it’s enginering tech, woodworking, or general design. maybe try to call a few local schools and ask what they’re using atm!
