As a drafter, you’ll use your technical abilities to visualise new ideas and creations. You’ll combine attention to detail and accuracy, with creativity and your talent for visualising future possibilities. Your work will be used to communicate design and construction ideas to many different stakeholders. Good designs can be the difference between an idea being accepted or being sent back to the drawing board.

Drafters are skilled in creating highly technical drawings. These drawings are used as a visual roadmap for rail projects and provide all the necessary details for construction. Drafters use CAD software to help them design and store drawings. In addition to plans and designs, drafters may be asked to supervise engineering works, repairs, and maintenance. Drafters who specialise in civil, electrical or mechanical drafting are in high demand in the rail industry.

You’ll work in a team of engineers and skilled tradespeople. You could work in an office, designing an urban transport precinct. Or you could be on a construction site helping tradespeople turn designs into reality. You can find work as a drafter all around Australia. Most jobs are in cities and towns. Some are in remote areas.

Drafters typically require a qualification in drafting or building design. Appropriate qualifications include Certificate IV – Engineering Drafting, Certificate IV – Residential Drafting, Diploma of Civil Construction, and Diploma of Building Design.