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Electrical & Electronics Draughtsman

Engineering

Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Electrical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
  2. 2Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
  3. 3Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
  4. 4Review completed construction drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to standards and regulations.
  5. 5Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
  6. 6Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
  7. 7Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
  8. 8Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.
  9. 9Draw master sketches to scale showing relation of proposed installations to existing facilities and exact specifications and dimensions.
  10. 10Review work orders or procedural manuals and confer with vendors or design staff to resolve problems or modify design.
  11. 11Locate files relating to specified design project in database library, load program into computer, and record completed job data.
  12. 12Examine electronic schematics and supporting documents to develop, compute, and verify specifications for drafting data, such as configuration of parts, dimensions, or tolerances.
  13. 13Compare logic element configuration on display screen with engineering schematics and calculate figures to convert, redesign, or modify element.
  14. 14Review blueprints to determine customer requirements and consult with assembler regarding schematics, wiring procedures, or conductor paths.
  15. 15Study work order requests to determine type of service, such as lighting or power, demanded by installation.
  16. 16Generate computer tapes of final layout design to produce layered photo masks or photo plotting design onto film.
  17. 17Determine the order of work and the method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
  18. 18Visit proposed installation sites and draw rough sketches of location.
  19. 19Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments, as necessary.
  20. 20Key and program specified commands and engineering specifications into computer system to change functions and test final layout.
  21. 21Copy drawings of printed circuit board fabrication using print machine or blueprinting procedure.
  22. 22Select drill size to drill test head, according to test design and specifications, and submit guide layout to designated department.
  23. 23Reproduce working drawings on copy machines or trace drawings in ink.
  24. 24Plot electrical test points on layout sheets and draw schematics for wiring test fixture heads to frames.
  25. 25Write technical reports and draw charts that display statistics and data.
  26. 26Supervise and coordinate work activities of workers engaged in drafting, designing layouts, assembling, or testing printed circuit boards.
  27. 27Train students to use drafting machines and to prepare schematic diagrams, block diagrams, control drawings, logic diagrams, integrated circuit drawings, or interconnection diagrams.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • ESA
  • Drafter
  • CAD Tech
  • Designer
  • CAD Drafter
  • Line Staker
  • PCB Drafter
  • CAD Designer
  • CADD Drafter
  • PCB Designer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Visual Art (PSV)Draws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Technical Comm. GraphicsDraws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Engineering DrawingDraws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Design88%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Engineering and Technology85%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Computers and Electronics84%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • English Language79%

    English

  • Mathematics72%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Administrative70%

    Business

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Leading or coordinating othersA little
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

26%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

TVET

Hands-on trades with strong employability: ILP, ADTEC, kolej vokasional, GiatMARA.

1–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Electrical and Electronics Drafters

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org