An architectural and civil drafter prepares technical drawings and plans of architectural and structural features of buildings or drawings and topographical relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, and public works. Do you have the visual aptitude and mechanical ability as well as the ability to draw and perform detailed work? Do you pay attention to detail, exhibit analytical thinking, and adaptability, and are cooperative? Then you may want to consider this occupation.

Drawings from an architectural and civil drafter provide guidelines for creating a structure or product. They use rough sketches, specifications, and calculations made by scientists, engineers, and surveyors. Sometimes an architectural and civil drafter uses their knowledge of standardized building techniques to draw the details of a structure, others may determine design elements such as the types of fasteners needed to assemble a machine. They use tables, calculators, computers, and technical handbooks while doing their work.

Typically, an architectural and civil drafter uses Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) systems for their drawings, and so some may be referred to as CADD operators.

There are some differences between an architectural drafter and a civil drafter. Architectural drafters draw structural and architectural building features for new construction projects. They may specialize in a type of material such as timber, concrete, masonry, or steel, or they may specialize in a type of building such as commercial or residential. Civil drafters are involved in major construction and civil engineering projects including pipelines, bridges, highways, flood-control projects, and sewage and water systems. These drafters create topographical maps, relief maps, and drawings.

Most employers look for post-secondary school training in drafting from a technical school, community college, or even some 4-year colleges and universities. An architectural and civil drafter should have a solid background in CADD, well-developed mechanical drawing and drafting skills as well as knowledge in science, math, engineering technology, and drafting standards.