[onewhippedpuppy]

I used a combination of AutoCAD, Catia, and ProE during school but would be really rusty today. Computerized machining and 3D printing have made it easier than ever to simply email a file to your local machine shop and pick up your parts a few weeks later. If you have a knack for doing CAD there's a huge market for it, though the hiring is normally system specific. At my company we use Autodesk Inventor, and most of the local aerospace companies are on Catia. It's also an easy role to get as a contract gig if you want to slowly ease your way into things, as many companies need a bunch of designers during a big project but then unload them when the project is complete.