Drafting is an incredibly important profession that covers a wide range of different job types. Drafting involves the creation of technical drawings that help to create products and structures, as well as provide detailed plans for production, construction, and repairs. Drafting technicians are highly trained professionals who are able to generate precise diagrams that can be used in both the technical and manufacturing fields. They are often called upon to provide assistance in the design of a wide variety of components, products, and structures – and this is reflected in the various types of drafting jobs available. In this blog post, we will detail some of the different types of drafting jobs that are available to those interested in this field, and the types of projects these professionals may be involved in. We will also explore the skills and qualifications required to become a successful drafting technician, as well as the job outlook for this profession.
13 drafting jobs you can pursue
A mechanical drafter’s primary responsibilities include producing sketches, blueprints, and other visual representations of mechanical parts for things like machinery, robots, medical equipment, and automobiles. To ensure that their drawings accurately depict the engineers’ vision for the final mechanical system or product, they collaborate closely with mechanical engineers.
A mechanical drafter may use CAD software or pen and paper to create their sketches. In some situations, mechanical drafters also might create product molds. On their blueprints or layout diagrams, they frequently describe or notate the product’s dimensions and its assembly instructions. Additional duties for a mechanical drafter might include selecting the materials to use in a project, keeping digital records of earlier work, and helping to design fastening techniques for the machine’s various components.
The main responsibilities of a project coordinator in the drafting industry are to coordinate the various drafting projects of their team or department. This could entail planning out each project’s schedule, choosing which tasks to finish first, supporting the project manager, and assisting the team in meeting deadlines. There are numerous places where a drafting project coordinator can find work, such as architectural firms, engineering firms, and electrical businesses.
Project coordinators may help with specific projects or all of the company’s projects, depending on factors like the size of the business and the industry they work in. Depending on where they work, their responsibilities may include organizing documents like reports or invoices, managing project budgets, facilitating communication between clients and their team, and assessing project risks.
CAD technicians’ main responsibilities include using CAD software to create blueprints, drawings, or schematics for structures, machinery, or systems. They might use CAD software to produce 2-D sketches, 3-D renderings, or objects for 3-D printing. A CAD technician may work with engineers and designers to develop the concept for a product or create their schematics using an existing design made by experts in these more complex roles. The plans or schematics created by CAD technicians are frequently revised in response to comments from engineers, architects, designers, or their clients.
CAD technicians can work in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, architectural, and engineering firms. Additionally, CAD technicians must compile progress reports, proof designs to reduce errors, and ensure that their creations adhere to all applicable industry standards.
Civil drafters’ main responsibilities are to create maps of a region’s topography, including its hills, rivers, buildings, and roads. Civil engineers and construction experts use the maps produced by civil drafters to aid in the planning and construction of civil engineering structures such as bridges, roads, dams, and sewage systems.
Before entering an office to create their maps, civil drafters typically carry out tasks like surveying the site where the company plans to build the structure. Other visual representations for civil engineering projects, such as structural blueprints or three-dimensional relief maps, may also be created by civil drafters. The majority of civil drafters work for engineering firms, but some may also find work in the government or in the architectural industry.
An architectural drafter’s primary responsibilities include producing blueprints and other drawings for construction projects such as private residences, office buildings, shopping malls, and schools. Most often, architectural drafters work from an architect’s plans, but some may also use an engineer’s or a building designer’s designs. Some architectural drafters focus on particular building types, such as residential or commercial buildings, or specific types of materials, such as wood or reinforced concrete, that they use as references in their drawings.
An architectural drafter may use CAD software or hand drawing to create their schematics. Additionally, they might be in charge of noting dimensions on their blueprints, keeping project records, revising drafting sketches in response to client feedback, assisting other professionals in finding ways to increase a building’s sustainability, and more.
Primary duties: A senior drafter is an advanced drafting role. Senior drafters produce and modify blueprints, schematics, and other types of visual plans that can assist engineers, architects, and designers in developing or building the systems, structures, or devices in question. Senior drafters also frequently assist junior drafters in producing their own sketches by providing feedback, facilitating training sessions, and overseeing their projects.
Several industries, including manufacturing, architecture, engineering, health care, and technology, employ senior drafters. Senior drafters may also be responsible for maintaining supply inventories, calculating building dimensions, talking with clients about their needs, and maintaining project records.
Piping designers are responsible for planning, developing, and creating schematics or drawings for piping systems, including those for water, sewage, natural gas, and petroleum. This may entail figuring out the most effective layout, calculating the sizes of different pipes, and specifying where and how the pipes connect in addition to choosing the best methods or materials for building these piping systems.
While the majority of piping designers create piping systems for homes and businesses, some may create piping designs for entire businesses or regions. A piping designer may produce their plans and drawings by hand drawing or by using CAD software. Other duties might involve working with civil engineers, conducting feasibility studies, creating demonstration materials, and choosing the best sequence to build various piping system components.
Electrical and electronics drafters are primarily responsible for creating blueprints and other visual representations of electrical systems and devices, including those for power plants, computer chips, communication centers, and home appliances. Electrical and electronics drafters typically produce wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly schematics, and layout drawings. While some of these professionals may focus on electrical or electronic systems, others may handle both kinds of tasks.
These schematics could be produced by an electrical and electronics drafter to assist engineers in visualizing new electrical systems or devices. In some cases, they might create these designs for manuals that end users, like electricians or owners of home appliances, can use to install or repair their electrical devices and systems.
A CAD manager’s main responsibilities are to oversee all personnel and operations related to CAD drafting. This may entail duties like handling employee shift schedules, managing the departmental budget, planning projects, giving staff members feedback, and performing performance reviews.
A CAD manager typically begins their career as a CAD technician or designer, which enables them to analyze each CAD draft or design made by their team members and give their final approval for these drawings. Each CAD drawing is evaluated by CAD managers, who also determine whether the schematics comply with industry standards, whether the drawings are readable, and whether the dimensions and material weights make sense. CAD managers may also be responsible for recruiting draftspeople, training staff on new CAD tools and techniques, creating CAD templates, and internalizing CAD standards.
Principal responsibilities: Civil engineers conceptualize, produce, and develop plans for structures like bridges, roads, utilities, and land-grading structures. A civil designer frequently creates both project-related maps, such as topographical maps to aid architects in planning the construction site, and plans for the actual structure, such as through schematics and blueprints with dimensions.
Civil designers work with project or civil engineers to collaborate on their visual plans, study land surveys, and ensure that their structures adhere to industry and safety regulations. A civil designer may work for companies like construction firms, engineering firms, and architectural organizations either as a contractor or a full-time employee.
Creating blueprints and other visual plans for the structures of various construction projects is one of the primary responsibilities of structural designers. Roofs, frames, bridge supports, and other load-bearing construction projects are examples of these structural elements. A structural designer aids in the selection of building materials, determines the structure’s ultimate load-bearing capacity, and compiles information from related projects.
While most structural engineers work on new construction, some may aid in the restoration or repair of already-existing structures, for example, to increase their durability. A structural designer’s main objective is to make sure that a building or other structure can withstand both man-made and natural disasters or high occupancy.
A product designer’s main responsibilities are to develop prototypes or plans for new products. Product designers, also known as industrial designers, can focus on a variety of goods, such as automobiles, toys, home appliances, and furniture. A product designer takes into account the aesthetics and functionality of their suggested product idea when creating their designs. Product designers also consider aspects of the business they work for, such as the timeline and cost of production.
A product designer may use CAD software or pen and paper to create their sketches. Others might work on building prototypes to test a product’s usability. Conducting market research, deciding which materials to use for the products, ensuring that the product complies with safety regulations, and working with experts like engineers or market research analysts are additional duties that product designers may have.
A user experience (UX) designer’s primary responsibilities include conceptualizing, developing, and creating visual plans for digital products like websites, mobile apps, or software programs. They evaluate the products aesthetics, functionality, user-friendliness and branding. A UX designer’s main objective is to make sure that users can easily navigate and use the product. UX designers conduct activities like usability studies, target market research, usage scenario creation, and prototype development to reach this goal.
UX designers frequently work with experts in other fields, such as marketing, product development, design, and business management. They may also be responsible for reporting progress to managers, finding solutions to design flaws in products, ensuring that products work on various platforms, and ensuring that products adhere to branding standards.
10 more different types of drafting jobs
Here are 10 additional drafting careers you might want to look into:
02.3 | DRAFTING CAREERS
FAQ
What types of jobs are there in drafting?
- Architectural Drafter.
- Civil Drafter.
- Electrical Drafter.
- Piping Drafter.
- Mechanical Drafter.
- Structural Drafter.
- Manufacturing Drafter.
- Construction Drafter.
What are some specialized fields of drafting?
Software is used by drafters to turn architectural and engineering designs into technical drawings. Technical drawings are used by most workers who specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting to create everything from microchips to skyscrapers.
What are the three types of drafting?
Mechanical drafting, electrical drafting, and architectural or civil drafting are the three main divisions.
