Its a pretty big rift from my perspective. We were right alongside mechanical and architectural majore at VTC, they all learned some really crufty cad programs.

Its a pretty big rift from my perspective. We were right alongside mechanical and architectural majore at VTC, they all learned some really crufty cad programs. The worst was SolidWworks, scripting that thing is a pig if damn near impossible. As a wanna-be tech startup in the field, I'd stay away from those tools like a plague. I heard there was way to do it, but its the kind of thing hiding behind their coprorate pay-wall and for profit training material. I've been impressed with tools like freecad - Its all implemented on top of a great Python API and lets you run code against some of their core modules. Developing procedural and programatically (parametrically?) designed hardware is much easier - and you can still interface with the average CAD worker / engineer. That being said, the average designer is SOL in this workchain. Still haven't found a good mix.