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Career Details

17-3011.00 - Architectural and Civil Drafters


Prepare detailed drawings 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. Use knowledge of building materials, engineering practices, and mathematics to complete drawings.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
94,000
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
91,200
Estimate
Change in Employment
-2,800
Estimate
Change in Employment %
-3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
  • Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
  • Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
  • Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
  • Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
  • Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
  • 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.
  • Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
  • Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports.
  • Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials.
  • Determine procedures and instructions to be followed, according to design specifications and quantity of required materials.
  • Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings.
  • Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
  • Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
  • Determine quality, cost, strength, and quantity of required materials, and enter figures on materials lists.
  • Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations.
  • Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings.
  • Calculate excavation tonnage and prepare graphs and fill-hauling diagrams for use in earth-moving operations.
  • Prepare colored drawings of landscape and interior designs for presentation to client.
  • Calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs.
Generic
  • Prepare cost estimates, contracts, bidding documents, and technical reports for specific projects under an architect's or engineer's supervision.
  • Represent architect or engineer on construction site, ensuring builder compliance with design specifications and advising on design corrections, under supervision.
  • Review rough sketches, drawings, specifications, and other engineering data to ensure that they conform to design concepts.
Supplemental
  • Plot characteristics of boreholes for oil and gas wells from photographic subsurface survey recordings and other data, representing depth, degree, and direction of inclination.
  • Reproduce drawings on copy machines or trace copies of plans and drawings, using transparent paper or cloth, ink, pencil, and standard drafting instruments.
  • Calculate heat loss and gain of buildings and structures to determine required equipment specifications, following standard procedures.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Design
  • 86%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Building and Construction
  • 85%
    Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 84%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 English Language
  • 76%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 76%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Mathematics
  • 72%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 63%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Administration and Management
  • 61%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 61%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Geography
  • 57%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
 Education and Training
  • 57%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Law and Government
  • 56%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 52%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
 Physics
  • 52%
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
 Mechanical
  • 50%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Drafting supplies
  • Architects' scales
  • Compasses
  • Electronic scales
  • Flexible curves
  • French curves
  • Protractors
  • T-squares
  • Triangles
 Computer data input devices
  • Backlit digitizers
  • Estimating keypads
  • Large-format digitizers
  • Sonic digitizers
  • Three-dimensional laser digitizers
  • Three-dimensional motion controllers
  • Wide-format document scanners
 System Cards
  • Computer aided design CAD multi-unit display graphics cards
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Graphics tablets
  • Notebook computers
  • Pressure-sensitive graphic tablets
 Projectors and supplies
  • Three-dimensional stereoscopic projectors
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Content authoring and editing software
  • 100 Plus Hatch Pattern Library
  • Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects
  • Adobe Systems Adobe IllustratorHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesignHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe LiveMotion
  • Adobe Systems Adobe PhotoshopHOT
  • Animation software
  • Autodesk 3ds Max
  • AutoDesSys form Z
  • Bentley GeoPak Bridge
  • Corel Paint Shop Pro
  • Digitizing and photogrammetric software
  • Graphic presentation software
  • Intergraph Image Analyst
  • Landscape modeling software
  • McNeel Rhino software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft Paint
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft VisioHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Motion graphics software
  • Non uniform rational b-splines NURBS software
  • Scanning software
  • Softimage Extreme
  • Specification software
  • Sun Microsystems Cobalt
  • Word processing software
 Content management software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AcrobatHOT
  • Document management system software
 Development software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
  • C
  • Extensible markup language XMLHOT
  • Microsoft .NET FrameworkHOT
 Industry specific software
  • Alias Wavefront Design StudioHOT
  • Autodesk 3d Studio VizHOT
  • Autodesk Architectural DesktopHOT
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DHOT
  • Autodesk Land DesktopHOT
  • Autodesk RevitHOT
  • Autodesk Revit ArchitectureHOT
  • Autodesk SoftdeskHOT
  • Bentley MicroStationHOT
  • Bentley WaterCADHOT
  • Computer aided design and drafting CADD softwareHOT
  • Computer aided design and drafting software CADDHOT
  • Computer assisted design softwareHOT
  • Dassault Systemes CATIAHOT
  • Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKSHOT
  • ENERCALC FastFrameHOT
  • Graphisoft ArchiCADHOT
  • Logitech 3D ProHOT
  • Piping and instrumentation design PID softwareHOT
  • PTC Creo ParametricHOT
  • Three-dimensional modeling softwareHOT
  • Trimble SketchUp ProHOT
  • UGS Solid EdgeHOT
  • VectorWorks ARCHITECTHOT
 Data management and query software
  • ARCOM Masterspec
  • Database software
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
 Information exchange software
  • Bentley Systems InRoads Suite
  • Boundary survey software
  • ESRI ArcGIS softwareHOT
  • ESRI ArcView
  • Geomechanical design analysis GDA software
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
  • Topographic map software
 Business function specific software
  • Bill of materials software
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
  • SpecsInTact
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Blue Ridge Community College
Brightpoint Community College
Germanna Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Laurel Ridge Community College
Marymount University
Mountain Empire Community College
New River Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Rappahannock Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College