What Do Civil Drafters Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

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Job Description, Daily Responsibilities, and Work Life

Civil Drafters

Civil Drafters prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewerage control systems.

Salary
$59120
Becoming One
Medium
Education
Associate's degree
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth
Low

Personality
Interest Match



Job Description

Job Description

Civil Drafters prepare drawings and topographical and relief maps used in civil engineering projects, such as highways, bridges, pipelines, flood control projects, and water and sewerage control systems. They also produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.

Other tasks include:

  • Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
  • Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data received from civil engineers to ensure that they conform to design concepts.
  • Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
  • Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
  • Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
  • Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.

We asked Civil Drafters how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

Job satisfaction

66%

How meaningful is this job

48%


66% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 48% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.



Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Civil Drafters produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices. They draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.

A typical day for a Civil Drafter will also include:

  • Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data received from civil engineers to ensure that they conform to design concepts.
  • Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
  • Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations.
  • Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
  • Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.

We asked some Civil Drafters a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job? 38% said yes
How important is it to work in a team in this job? 57% said very important
Do you have group discussions everyday in this job? 67% said yes
Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job? 5% said yes
Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job? 0% said yes
Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job? 19% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Civil Drafters also correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports. They may also calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Civil Drafters Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods. They might also Calculate excavation tonnage and prepare graphs and fill-hauling diagrams for use in earth-moving operations.

In addition, they Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Plot characteristics of boreholes for oil and gas wells from photographic subsurface survey recordings and other data, representing depth, degree, and direction of inclination.

To some Civil Drafters, it is also their responsibility to Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.


Working life

Working hours

Standard 40 hour work week

Working schedule

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Civil Drafter, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.

Do Civil Drafters work in an office-style work environment?

Every day
90%


Never
5%


Do Civil Drafters work outdoors?

Once a year
48%


Never
24%



Is this right for me

Best personality for this career

The Builders and The Organizers

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.



Learn more about Civil Drafters

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Related to Civil Drafters Job Description

Civil Drafters job description, what do Civil Drafters do, typical day for Civil Drafters, what is it like to work as a Civil Drafter, how many hours do Civil Drafters work, day to day work of a Civil Drafter

Additional resources

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/architecture-and-engineering/drafters.htm
http://www.accsc.org/
http://www.adda.org/


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