A technical drawing course teaches your team to read, interpret and produce engineering and construction drawings with confidence. BOTI’s 2-day Introduction to Technical Drawing Course covers projections, plans, elevations, sections and annotations — equipping staff to work accurately across engineering, manufacturing, construction and built-environment projects. Available in-house, on-site or online nationwide.

Why Choose BOTI for Technical Drawing Training

BOTI (Business Optimization Training Institute) is a South African corporate training provider delivering over 450 courses to organisations including Sasol, Glencore and the City of Johannesburg. We train teams, not just individuals, with delivery built around your operational needs:

• In-house and on-site delivery at your premises in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria or anywhere in SA
• Online / virtual instructor-led options for distributed teams
• Group pricing that lowers the per-person cost as you add delegates
• Practical, hands-on sessions designed for working professionals, not students
• Customisable content aligned to your industry (engineering, construction, electrical, hydraulics, piping)

Course Overview

This is a beginner-level course intended for novices in technical drawing. Over two days, delegates build a solid foundation in the conventions, symbols and projection systems that underpin every technical drawing — from a simple house plan to a detailed engineering assembly. By the end, participants can interpret common drawing types and understand how design intent is communicated on the page.

Detail	Specification
Course	Introduction to Technical Drawing
Duration	2 days
Level	Beginner / novice
Certification	Certificate of attendance (non-accredited)
Delivery	In-house, on-site or online
Locations	JHB, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria + nationwide / remote

Course Outline and Modules

The course is structured across eight modules:

1. Technical Drawings — Historical overview; manufacturing and costing; original design vs bought-out items; legal aspects.
2. The Cartesian Quadrant and Projections — Paper sizes; the Cartesian quadrant; orthographic projections; European and American standards (1st and 3rd Angle); practical demonstrations.
3. Plans and Elevations — Concept and relationship; reading a house plan, an engineering drawing, an electrical drawing, a hydraulics drawing and a piping drawing.
4. Annotations, Measurements and Scales — Symbols for various industries; line types and thickness; fonts for lettering and dimensions.
5. Sections — “Cutting” through elements; hatching of different materials.
6. Isometric Drawings and Perspectives — Combination views; application in different industries.
7. Detail Drawings — Assembly and sub-assembly drawings.
8. From Drawing Board to Computer — How design differs in digital contexts and the transition to CAD.

Key Learning Outcomes

On completion, delegates will be able to:

• Apply projections and the Cartesian quadrant
• Set scale, prepare and lay out an illustration
• Read and use elevations and plans
• Interpret annotations, symbols, line types and material hatching
• Understand sections, isometric views and detail drawings

Who Should Attend the Technical Drawing Course

This technical drawing course suits any staff member who needs to read or produce technical drawings, including:

• Trainee draughtspersons and technicians
• Junior engineers and engineering assistants
• Construction, electrical and mechanical site staff
• Procurement and estimating teams who must interpret drawings
• Project administrators and quantity-related support staff
• Anyone moving into a drawing office or design support role

No prior drawing experience is required — the course is built for novices.

Technical Drawing Course Fees and Group Pricing

For larger teams, a fully in-house or on-site programme at your premises is often the most cost-effective option. Request a quote for a tailored figure based on your group size and location.

What Is Technical Drawing? (Quick Primer)

Technical drawing — also called engineering drawing or draughting — is the standardised visual language used to communicate how something is designed, built or manufactured. Instead of words, it uses projections, dimensions, symbols and conventions so that anyone trained to read a drawing interprets it the same way. This is why a shared technical-drawing standard matters in any team: it removes ambiguity, reduces rework and prevents costly errors on site or on the factory floor.

Technical Drawing vs CAD: Where This Course Fits

Many teams ask whether they need a manual technical drawing course or should go straight to CAD software training. The two are complementary, not competing:

• Technical drawing fundamentals (this course) teach the principles — projections, scale, sections, conventions — that every drawing relies on, regardless of software.
• CAD training teaches the tools to produce those drawings efficiently on a computer.

We recommend grounding staff in fundamentals first so that, once they move to software, they understand what they are drawing and why — not just which buttons to press. Once your team has these foundations, a natural next step is BOTI’s AutoCAD Advanced Course or AutoCAD Essentials to translate those skills into a digital workflow.

Reading Common Drawing Types

A key practical outcome of the course is the ability to read drawings your team encounters daily:

• House and building plans — layout, dimensions and elevations for construction projects
• Engineering drawings — components, tolerances and assemblies for manufacturing
• Electrical drawings — circuit and installation schematics
• Hydraulics and piping drawings — fluid systems and pipework layouts

For teams that manage drawing flow, version control and document handover, this course pairs well with Managing a Drawing Office.

Build a Wider Design and CAD Skill Set

Technical drawing is the entry point to a broader graphic, design and CAD skills path. Depending on your team’s role, consider combining this course with:

• AutoCAD Advanced Course — for staff producing detailed 2D and 3D drawings
• Graphic Design Fundamentals — for design, marketing and documentation teams
• Managing a Drawing Office — for supervisors and office managers

Speak to us about a multi-course skills programme for your department.

How to Book Technical Drawing Training for Your Team

1. Tell us your group size, location and preferred dates
2. Choose in-house, on-site or online delivery
3. We confirm a tailored quote and schedule
4. We deliver the course and issue certificates of attendance

Free resource: Ask us for BOTI’s free Technical Drawing Conventions & Symbols quick-reference guide when you enquire — a handy desk reference for teams getting started.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the technical drawing course?
The Introduction to Technical Drawing Course runs over 2 days. It can be scheduled to fit your team’s operational calendar, including back-to-back days or split sessions for in-house groups.

Is the technical drawing course accredited?
No — this is a practical, facilitator-led skills programme and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance (this is not an accredited qualification). Need accredited training? Ask about BOTI’s QCTO/SETA-accredited programmes in related areas such as Office Administration or Generic Management, and we will advise on the right accredited option for your team.

Do delegates need prior experience?
No. The course is designed for novices in technical drawing. No previous drawing or CAD experience is required.

Can the course be run in-house or online?
Yes. BOTI delivers this course in-house or on-site at your premises across South Africa (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and beyond), as well as online via instructor-led virtual sessions.

Should we do this course or go straight to CAD?
We recommend technical drawing fundamentals first so staff understand drawing principles, then progress to AutoCAD training for the digital toolset.

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Ready to upskill your team? Request a quote or a free 15-minute callback. Call 011-882-8853 or enquire online — BOTI delivers technical drawing training in-house, on-site and online across South Africa.

Introduction to Technical Drawing Training: Course Outline Technical Drawings A Historical Overview Manufacturing and Costing Original design and Bought-out Items Legal Aspects

1. Technical Drawings A Historical Overview Manufacturing and Costing Original design and Bought-out Items Legal Aspects 2. The Cartesian Quadrant and Projections Paper sizes The Cartesian Quadrant Orthographic Projections European and American standards (1st and 3rd Angle) Practical demonstration and activity 3. Plans and Elevations Concept and Relationship Reading a House Plan Reading an Engineering Drawing Reading an Electrical Drawing Reading a Hydraulics Drawing Reading a Piping Drawing 4. Annotations, Measurements and Scales Symbols for various Industries Line Types and Thickness Fonts for Lettering and Dimensions 5. Sections 'Cutting' through Elements Hatching of Different Materials 6. Isometric Drawings and Perspectives Combination views Application In Different Industries 7. Detail drawings Assembly and sub-assembly drawings 8. From Drawing Board to Computer Design Different

Introduction to Technical Drawing Training: Course Duration

2 day/s

Introduction to Technical Drawing Course: Who should attend

This course is intended for novices in technical drawing.

**Quote does not include Any Exam Fees (if applicable)

IMPORTANT ACTION: Do Not Wait To Improve Your Skills.  

Book on this course (Draughting Course (or Drawing Courses, Drafting Courses, Technical Drawing Courses, Drawing Workshop, Engineering Drafting Courses, Engineering Drawing Courses)  By Completing Online Booking Form / Customised Proposal or Obtain Approval For Your Already Received Customised Proposal

Introduction to Technical Drawing Training: Course Outline or Draughting Course (or Drawing Courses, Drafting Courses, Technical Drawing Courses, Drawing Workshop, Engineering Drafting Courses, Engineering Drawing Courses)

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