Drafting technicians for the twenty-first century must understand how to communicate in the graphic language, they must understand how to prepare and comprehend technical drawings.  Like carpenters learning to use the tools of their trade, drafting technicians must learn to use the tools necessary to create technical drawings. 

While CAD has replaced traditional drafting tools for most design and drafting applications, the basic concepts of the graphic language remain the same.  The students who can become proficient in graphic communication will succeed and add value to the employer who hires them.

Typical Duties

• Prepare construction drawings
• Prepare production drawings
• Prepare electrical schematics
• Create floor plans
• Do space planning layouts
• Create technical illustrations
• Create 2D technical drawings using CAD
• Create 3D mechanical parts using feature-based parametric modeling
• Prepare piping layouts
• Do engineering calculations

Performance Standards

Drafting Technicians must be able to:

• Identify and apply the fundamental theories principles, and practices of drafting.
• Prepare drawings and related materials for the manufacture of industrial products.
• Prepare drawings and related materials for construction and architectural drawings.
• Apply the knowledge of fabrication and assembly procedures to the preparation of production drawings.
• Identify the importance and applications of drawings to our complex construction and manufacturing industries.
• Identify and interpret the symbols and abbreviations needed in preparing and reading prints.
• Prepare all types of pictorial drawings used for construction, fabrication, assembly, parts identification, and sales.
• Communicate effectively with engineers, supervisors, draftspeople, and other manufacturing and construction personnel so that facts and ideas may be transmitted with complete objectivity; either orally, graphically, or in written form.
• Identify and take advantage of learning opportunities for advancement in the drafting profession.
• Apply with facility, mathematics and physics calculations as tools for solving problems which relate to construction and manufacturing.
• Identify types of materials used in construction and manufacturing and relate their use in design and implementation.
• Use computers to do not only computer aided design (CAD) functions, but also be knowledgeable about programming, word processing, spreadsheets, and database applications.