What does a drafting technician do?
A Drafting Technician prepares and supervises the preparation of engineering schematics and drawings, charts, graphs, maps, and illustrations. They work closely with engineers, architects, and technologists.
Drafting technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real drafting technician resumes:
- Manage database and set projects against MEP, HSE, and ADA requirements.
- Manage the life cycle of the product using PLM from creation to the top of production sample.
- Prepare construction drawings for documentation using AutoCAD and Revit.
- Draft boundary, topographic, and alta surveys.
- Create avionic and electrical drawing with ANSI regulations & standards.
- Develop exceptional SolidWorks skills, completing all projects on time and to specifications.
- Project assistant for process design and planning for data capture of statewide GIS project.
- Migrate data from AutoCAD, clean and update it, and transfer it to GIS.
- Prepare / install surface models and control into GPS, collect topo points as needed out in field.
- Train surveyors, drain commissioner, engineers, and college students how to process ESRI software and GPS devices.
- Complete development of tech pack in PLM computer system, which includes complete sewing construction, sample size spec.
- Prepare PDF plots of require documents for engineer review and approval, and assemble submittal packages for the client use.
- Created/developed new components and assemblies in the SolidWorks 2010 format including 3D component & assembly models and their associate 2D drawings.
- Perform drafting and engineering of HVAC and plumbing systems on various commercial and industrial projects including high pressure stream boiler projects.
- Create Revit family and schedules for construction documents
Drafting technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Drafting Technicians are proficient in Engineering Drawings, Solidworks, and Revit. They’re also known for soft skills such as Problem-solving skills, Reading skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Drafting Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Engineering Drawings, 10%
Develop and design architectural, civil engineering drawings and manufacturing fixtures for oil equipment manufacturing.
- Solidworks, 9%
Created/developed new components and assemblies in the SolidWorks 2010 format including 3D component & assembly models and their associated 2D drawings.
- Revit, 9%
Prepared construction drawings for documentation using AutoCAD and Revit.
- Auto CAD, 6%
Work with clients to make decisions about the project, Used Auto CAD, in house and Microsoft Office software.
- Aided Design, 6%
Directed Computer Aided Design (CAD) draft creation for numerous road resurfacing and repaving projects throughout Wayne County.
- Civil 3D, 6%
Assisted in generating construction drawings for commercial/roadway plans sets using both Land Development Desktop and Civil 3D.
Common skills that a drafting technician uses to do their job include "engineering drawings," "solidworks," and "revit." You can find details on the most important drafting technician responsibilities below.
Problem-solving skills. One of the key soft skills for a drafting technician to have is problem-solving skills. You can see how this relates to what drafting technicians do because "as assistants to civil engineers, these technologists and technicians must be able to help engineers identify problems and design projects to solve them." Additionally, a drafting technician resume shows how drafting technicians use problem-solving skills: "constructed engineering drawings; completed designs to satisfy technical specifications; created solutions to complete design process; revised plans per as-builts"
Writing skills. drafting technicians are also known for writing skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to drafting technician responsibilities, because "civil engineering technologists and technicians must be able to prepare reports that are well organized and clearly convey information." A drafting technician resume example shows how writing skills is used in the workplace: "helped with the input & implementation for the new plm system and the writing of the manual guide"
Math skills. For certain drafting technician responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "math skills." The day-to-day duties of a drafting technician rely on this skill, as "civil engineering technologists and technicians use math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what drafting technicians do: "support vehicle design development cad part math data management, assembly in team center. "
The three companies that hire the most drafting technicians are:
- B. Braun Medical6 drafting technicians jobs
- RFA Engineering
4 drafting technicians jobs
- Janus International Group4 drafting technicians jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable drafting technician resume templates
Build a professional drafting technician resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your drafting technician resume.
Compare different drafting technicians
Drafting technician vs. Project engineer internship
When it comes to a project engineer internship, one of the primary responsibilities is to follow the directives of engineers and managers while earning practical experience. Most of the duties will revolve around processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, participating in various projects, assisting engineers in basic tasks, and organizing inventory and supplies. There may also be instances when an intern may take part in presentations and attend meetings. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with supervising managers while adhering to all rules.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between drafting technicians and project engineer internship. For instance, drafting technician responsibilities require skills such as "revit," "auto cad," "civil 3d," and "layout drawings." Whereas a project engineer internship is skilled in "project management," "rfi," "cad," and "meeting minutes." This is part of what separates the two careers.
On average, project engineer interns reach higher levels of education than drafting technicians. Project engineer interns are 13.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Drafting technician vs. Engineering internship
An engineering intern is responsible for assisting the overall project development under the supervision of a head engineer. Engineering interns' duties vary in every industry but generally include generating reports, analyzing budget goals and cost estimates, reaching out to clients for important updates, and providing project improvement recommendations. Engineering interns must have strong attention to detail, as well as excellent critical-thinking and project management skills. An engineering intern should be able to communicate effectively and use their logical judgments, especially when dealing with adjustments and meeting deadlines.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, drafting technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "revit," "layout drawings," "taps," and "construction drawings." Meanwhile, an engineering internship has duties that require skills in areas such as "engineering intern," "python," "c++," and "c #." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Engineering interns earn a lower average salary than drafting technicians. But engineering interns earn the highest pay in the telecommunication industry, with an average salary of $45,479. Additionally, drafting technicians earn the highest salaries in the energy with average pay of $60,165 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Engineering interns tend to reach higher levels of education than drafting technicians. In fact, they're 8.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Drafting technician vs. Geotechnical engineering technician
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a drafting technician is likely to be skilled in "engineering drawings," "solidworks," "revit," and "auto cad," while a typical geotechnical engineering technician is skilled in "aci," "asphalt," "construction materials," and "field testing."
Most geotechnical engineering technicians achieve a similar degree level compared to drafting technicians. For example, they're 3.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Drafting technician vs. Civil cadd technician
Types of drafting technician
Updated January 8, 2025
