Is Drafting Typical for New Engineering Graduates?

[jegues]

Hello all.

To give you guys an idea of my background, I'm currently an EE student who's about halfway through my undergrad degree at uni with above average grades (>4.0 GPA).

Recently I just a got a job with a small engineering firm, and I've found myself spending all my time drafting.(Redrawing drawings using AutoCAD etc.)

I've only been working for a short amount of time, but for the most part it has been quite boring.

Granted, I've never used AutoCAD before, and it would be a very good skill to know how to use it, I just find it very dull and boring.

Is this typical of the type of work given to engineers/engineering students who are just starting?

I would much rather like to apply the knowledge I've learned during my time at university in the workplace towards solving problems and making meaningful contributions to designs, as opposed to redrawing schematics and designs on AutoCAD.

I've taken plenty of courses on a range of more so general topics such as Digital Logic, Circuit Analysis, Electronics, Microprocessing Systems/Design, Numerical Methods for Electrical Engineers etc, I would love to given some work where I have to use the knowledge I've gained from these courses to solve problems and contribute.

Is this still an unrealistic thought for a student such as myself?

I just feel as though I'm not using any of the skills/knowledge I learned at uni, anyone can take the time learn AutoCAD and redraw schematics.

I'd love to hear your input/experiences.

Thanks again!

 

[fss]

Is this typical of the type of work given to engineers/engineering students who are just starting?

Yep.

Are you licensed? I'm assuming not since you're still a student. Does the place you work at require a PE license to do design work? If not, why don't you just ask if you can get more involved? And/or do all the CAD work quickly and mention that you have spare time for another project.

 

[jegues]

Yep.

Are you licensed? I'm assuming not since you're still a student. Does the place you work at require a PE license to do design work? If not, why don't you just ask if you can get more involved? And/or do all the CAD work quickly and mention that you have spare time for another project.

Of course I'm not licensed, I'm still a undergraduate student.

I would assume it doesn't require a license to do any design work, as long as it's approved by an engineer with a license.

We are a small group of 3-4 people, but there is only 1 P. Eng, the others(not myself) are college graduates who don't necessairly have any formal training with regards to anything electrical, they seem to be more so geared towards drafting.

Once again, I've only been with the group a short amount of time so I may be out of place saying this.

The detail/quality they expect makes it very difficult to quickly complete the CAD work I've been given. Besides, I'm fairly certain they have enough work to be done on AutoCAD to last me all summer, regardless of how fast I can work.

 

[Monte_Carlo]

I know it may sound a bit off, but there is something soothing in the drudgery of routine. I wish I could go back to times when doing the grunt work was my only responsibility. As you advance in your career, you will look back on these days and think of them as the 'golden years'...

 

[Ryker]

The detail/quality they expect makes it very difficult to quickly complete the CAD work I've been given. Besides, I'm fairly certain they have enough work to be done on AutoCAD to last me all summer, regardless of how fast I can work.

Yeah, I was just about to say that being faster at AutoCAD might just get you more AutoCAD

 

[jegues]

I know it may sound a bit off, but there is something soothing in the drudgery of routine. I wish I could go back to times when doing the grunt work was my only responsibility. As you advance in your career, you will look back on these days and think of them as the 'golden years'...

No offense, but if that is seriously the attitude you bring into the workplace I pity you. I would much rather take on extra responsibility, but be applying my knowledge and making mistakes and learning from them.

 

[jegues]

Bump, I'd love to get some more input!

 

[bob1182006]

What are the graduate students that you work with doing? A lot of drafting like you?
I think as you spend more time working there you would start to be assigned little projects/calculations to do that require some information that you learned in school.
But if the graduate students are mainly doing drafting then I think that's all you have to look forward to in that job.

 

[AlephZero]

You don't say what the company actually does, but for a not particularly high tech company a ratio of 95% paperwork (including the CAD drawings) and 5% "design" (which in itself might be little more than typing a few numbers into a spreadsheet) could be just the way it is.

Think positive - sooner or later, some Chinese or Indian company is going to do the same work just as well for 10% of your wages, and then you wlll HAVE to look for another job.

If you want to earn your living using your brain, I suggest looking for another employer.

At least you are learning one thing: drawings are not just pretty pictures - if somebody is going to actually make the stuff you draw, they have to be 100% complete and 100% correct.

 

[jegues]

What are the graduate students that you work with doing? A lot of drafting like you?

As I had mentioned, we don't have any graduate students, just 2 drafting people and the 1 P. Eng.

If you want to earn your living using your brain, I suggest looking for another employer.

Is it really this cut and dry?