Year of The Artisan & Skills-Based Education: How To Become A Draughtsman

Draughtsmen and women translate the drawings and ideas of engineers, architects and scientists into detailed drawings. They prepare technical drawings and plans used by production and construction workers to build everything from manufactured products such as spacecraft or industrial machinery, to structures such as office buildings or oil and gas pipelines.           

Their drawings show the technical details of the structures that specify dimensions, materials to be used, and procedures and processes to be followed. Drafters fill in technical details, using drawings, rough sketches, specifications, codes and calculations supplied by engineers, surveyors or architects.

As a draughtsman, there are a variety of specialties that you can get into:

• Architectural drafters draw plans for all kinds of buildings.
• Civil engineering drafters draw plans for bridges, roads, irrigation and construction projects.
• Mechanical engineering drafters sketch plans for machines and engine parts.
• Electrical engineering drafters finalise plans for electrical circuits and wiring systems in buildings for example.
• Structural engineering drafters draw designs for towers and steel frames.
• Town and regional planning drafters draw maps of sewage, drinking water, steam, heating, cooling and conveyor installations, and they may also build models for projects.
• Cartographical drafters draw different types of maps such as cadastral, topographical and meteorological.
• Mining drafters draw plans of mines, including three-dimensional plans which could help for example, with the upgrading of safety standards. 

As a draughtsman, you could work at architectural firms, engineering companies, municipalities, construction companies, metal manufacturing companies, mining companies, contract draughtsman firms, various government firms or you can choose to be self-employed and to do freelance work.

If you…

• are meticulously accurate
• enjoy doing detailed work
• are able to concentrate for long periods of time
• have three-dimensional perception
• have good vision
• have good eye-hand coordination and free-hand drawing skills
• are interested in and have a flair for computer work
• have stamina (at times standing is required)

… then you could be a perfect candidate to become a draughtsman!

Draughtsmens' training consists of 18 months of academic training, available at most universities of technology, FET colleges and technicons, and 18 months of in-service training at an approved firm.

You can contact Eduloan as soon as you have decided which school or training college you would like to study at and one of our consultants will be able to give you all the information you require to get the financial assistance you need to realise your dream of becoming a draughtsman. For more information or to speak to one of our Eduloan consultants, visit our website www.eduloan.co.za.