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Certificate IV · national qualification

Certificate IV in Engineering Drafting

This qualification trains you to work as an engineering detail draftsperson, the person who turns an engineer's design intent into the drawings a workshop or site actually builds from.

Compare 8 providers
Illustration of a person working as drafter
How long it takes
18 months
full time at TAFE NSW
What it costs
From $10,650
Full fee at TAFE Queensland
How you can study
Online or on campus
Main job
Drafter
$73,800 (estimate) median pay
Taught by
8 providers
6 states and territories

Is this course right for you?

What the Certificate IV in Engineering Drafting asks of you, and what you might want to check first.

It helps to have

  • an interest in how machines and structures are put together
  • a careful, methodical approach to your work
  • good spatial awareness and attention to detail
  • an interest in learning computer-aided drafting software

Before you start

There are no entry requirements for this qualification.

Where this course can take you

Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.

Jobs you can do with it

  • Drafter

    Drafters turn an engineer's or architect's design into the precise technical drawings that builders and manufacturers work from.

    What else you need

    This engineering drafting certificate leads to draftsperson roles in engineering and manufacturing. It does not confer any licence, and employers may expect further study or experience. Check the provider's course details.

    Median pay$73,800 (estimate)

  • Mechanical Drafter

    Mechanical drafters turn engineers' ideas into the detailed drawings and 3D models that manufacturers use to build, install and maintain equipment.

    What else you need

    This engineering drafting certificate leads to draftsperson roles in engineering and manufacturing. It does not confer any licence, and employers may expect further study or experience. Check the provider's course details.

    Median pay$83,200 (estimate)

    In demand

If you study further

Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.

What it costs

Paying the full fee

$10,650

across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.

  • TAFE QueenslandQLD

    Full fee
    $10,650

Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.

Where you can study this course

There are 8 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.

What you’ll learn

The main topics covered in the Certificate IV in Engineering Drafting.

  • Computer-aided drafting
  • Engineering detail drawings
  • Mechanical and machine components
  • Steel fabrication drawings
  • Piping and fluid power
  • Reading and applying standards

Questions to ask before you enrol

Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.

  1. When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
  2. What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
  3. Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
  4. Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?

Questions people ask

Who is this qualification for?

It prepares you to work as an engineering detail draftsperson, turning an engineer's design intent into drawings a workshop or site builds from. You produce detail drawings for mechanical components, steel fabrication, piping, fluid power and electrical and mechanical services.

Do I need experience or other qualifications first?

There are no entry requirements for this qualification. Individual providers can set their own conditions, so check with the provider you choose.

Related courses

The national training register, training.gov.au. TAFE course pages, read 20 September 2026. Google reviews. Pay and shortage status from Jobs and Skills Australia.