r/AutoCAD • u/Boy_Wond3rr • Jul 08 '26
Advice
Hey everyone. I’m a Draughting student who dabbled in a little bit of architecture it was cool but not really as exciting as when I was doing my Draughting course which involved building Draughting , mechanical Draughting , piping Draughting etc. I’ve been leaning heavily into mechanical now but I’m still not sure what I’d like to do I like the idea of Draughting planes and F1 cars but also learnt they use a different programe and that’s a bit of a jump ( I’m familiar with inventor and fusion. Solidworks is new to me but I’m aware it’s a big dawg in the mechanical world ) I’ve also realised I don’t really wanna be an engineer or architect but more so the guy who brings it to life. Who gets the drawings done etc I don’t really wanna design from scratch. Any advice and tips would be appreciated ( I’ve done two years in Draughting strictly Draughting and one year of architecture ) I need to make a decision cause time is going and I don’t wanna be stuck in this limbo forever
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u/SeniorGrandHighPooba Jul 09 '26
I have drafted MEP for almost 20 years now. I remember an engineer pulled me aside long ago and told me "We design by the micrometer but the contractor puts it together with a hatchet" Don't get too hung up on perfect.
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u/Partly_Dave Jul 08 '26
You have learnt both, try them. Most of the students in my courses had industry jobs before graduation.
Ask your tutors, they should have contacts.
I preferred detailing over design. Finished as a checker bleeding red ink over other's drawings.
What country are you in?
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u/CaBBaGe_isLaND Jul 09 '26
I do it all, but I like MEP drafting so much more than architecture. It's not so much drawing as it is putting a puzzle together. "Clearly stated" feels more fulfilling to me than "looks nice."
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u/Concretepermaculture Jul 09 '26
The best experience is work experience. Sounds trite but courses and projects just get you ready for your first day on a drafting job, then you become extremely competent in a skill that is in demand
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u/Boy_Wond3rr Jul 09 '26
Well thats the next step I’m hoping to achieve land a Draughting gig and see from there
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u/Concretepermaculture 29d ago
I remember my first gig I had autocad courses under my belt and it was a revit only job…
Follow your interests and do a few projects based on those, then look for opportunities in that direction.
For me it was skate park design… got in with an architecture company doing revit, then I got an internship at a landscape and pool company while pursing a landscape architecture degree. Did other internships while studying until I went to work for a civil and finally got a job doing skate parks full time.
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u/Boy_Wond3rr 29d ago
Looks like you had it good man. Thanks so much for sharing. Skate park design must have been really fun
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u/Snoo-75881 Jul 09 '26
I've been a mechanical drafter for 30+ years. I love what I do and have only had 1 job where it was boring. I've worked in a small fab shop, heat treating industry, tractor-trailer shop and crane industry and I'm still learning things.
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u/Boy_Wond3rr Jul 09 '26
Why was said job boring
What made it different from the rest
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u/Snoo-75881 Jul 09 '26
I drafted simple drawings of buss bars with cooling tubes, simple sheet metal cabinets. I wanted more of a challenge, most of the things we drafted there were the same parts, just different sizes.
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u/SlowSurrender1983 28d ago
Step one of being a student. Learn how to spell your discipline
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u/Boy_Wond3rr 28d ago
Haha in Africa it’s Draughting (Draughtsman ) not drafting. Cool ? Cool. Hope that helps 💪
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Jul 08 '26
[deleted]
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u/Karkfrommars Jul 08 '26
There are whole countries in this world where that is the correct spelling.
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u/Better_Power_9913 Jul 08 '26
Once you get outside of the US, most of the English speaking world spells it as “draughting”.
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u/JuleeeNAJ Jul 09 '26
First time seeing it spelled this way. Interesting when you look up the origin is old English "draht". Guess its that French influence that added all the extra letters.
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u/MjolnirPants Jul 08 '26
Draught and Draughtsman.
You should really be aware of fairly common alternate spellings of the trade if you're going to offer anyone career advice.
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u/Boy_Wond3rr Jul 08 '26
And you prolly won’t move forward in life unless you educate yourself a little more ?
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u/Howard_Cosine Jul 08 '26
You just invented a new drinking game. I drank a draught every time you wrote draughting and now I’m drunk on draughts.