Explore a Drafting Career

At Chief Industries, a drafter prepares the documents and drawings that guide plant fabrication and builder erection — turning order documents and design packages into accurate, complete plans that engineering, project management, and production teams rely on. Drafting lives across several Chief brands, including Chief Buildings and Chief Fabrication in Grand Island, Nebraska, and BonnaVilla in Aurora, Nebraska, so there is more than one way into the work. If you have questions about drafting roles, you can contact us to talk with our recruiting team before you apply.

What Drafters Do at Chief Industries

A drafter is someone who creates detailed drawings that show how a structure should be made and assembled. Drafters use computers to produce these drawings and may utilize a variety of design software, including CAD (Computer Aided Design) and/or 3D modeling software.

Drafters work closely with engineers, project managers, and sales teams to make sure each building order is accurate. They take information from customer orders and design plans and produce two sets of drawings — fabrication documents and erection drawings. The fabrication documents show the manufacturing facility how to produce the parts and pieces of the structure, and the erection drawings show the builder how all the parts and pieces should be assembled at the construction site.

Drafting Deliverables You Will Create

Depending on the role and division, a drafter at Chief may create:

• Erection drawings with accurate part identification, quantities, sections, and details
• Fabrication documents that are legible and easy to understand
• Documentation that aligns with Chief’s drafting procedures and product requirements

Collaboration and Communication

Drafting is a team effort. Across the life of an order, drafters coordinate with project management, engineering, and other drafting personnel to keep every drawing accurate and on schedule. Here is how the work moves: a project begins with order documents and a design package, the drafter follows Chief’s drafting procedures to produce the fabrication and erection drawings, and those drawings move through checking and feedback loops before they reach production and the job site. That focus on accuracy and teamwork is a theme you will see throughout our Employee Testimonials.

Tools and Technology Drafters Use

Core Drafting and Business Systems

Chief drafters work with industry-standard design software and the business systems that keep manufacturing moving. Depending on the division, that can include AutoCAD and Revit for design and modeling, along with MBS and IFS and other tools and systems available to support production. Residential drafting at BonnaVilla, for example, uses Revit to produce working drawings of manufactured housing, while building-systems drafting relies heavily on AutoCAD.

Drafting in a Modern Manufacturing Environment

Drafting sits at the front of a technology-forward manufacturing process, and the tools on the plant floor keep advancing — a shift we explore in Inside the Shop: Tools and Technology Shaping Modern Manufacturing. Nationally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes drafters as the people who convert engineers’ and designers’ ideas into technical drawings, which is exactly the bridge Chief drafters build between design and the shop floor.

Skills and Education That Set You Up for Success

Education and Math Foundations

Most drafting roles start with a high school diploma or GED, plus post–high school coursework in subjects like trigonometry that build the math foundation drafting depends on. Requirements vary by level and division, so rather than assume you need years of experience, it is best to check the current openings and match yourself to the right entry point.

Skills That Matter Most in Drafting

Strong drafters tend to share a mix of qualities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics points to detail orientation, interpersonal and communication skills, math ability, technical skills, and time management. At Chief, that pairs with day-to-day work patterns like clear documentation, cross-team coordination, and schedule awareness. Building those math and CAD fundamentals early helps — high schoolers can get a head start with the right Drafting & CAD Classes.

Mentorship, Training, and Growth at Chief

Experienced drafters may also help guide and train other drafters. They review drawings, answer questions, and make sure everyone follows company standards and procedures. A good drafter pays close attention to detail, communicates well with others, and helps keep projects moving smoothly from design to production to construction. Careers in drafting, CAD design, building design, and architectural or structural drafting are great for people who enjoy technology, problem solving, and helping turn designs into real structures.

Mentorship Built Into the Drafting Culture

Mentorship is part of how drafting works at Chief, not an afterthought. New drafters can expect one-on-one training sessions, collaborative project work, software and technology training, and leadership and career coaching as they grow. You can read more about our approach in Mentorship Opportunities for Drafters in Nebraska.

Learning Opportunities That Help You Decide If Drafting Is Right

Not sure whether drafting is the right fit? Chief supports hands-on exploration, including a Drafting Career exploration program with a training session for individuals who are interested in drafting and want to try the work before committing to a career. If you are weighing your options, it also helps to understand how structured programs pay off — something we cover in 10 Benefits of an Internship & Mentor Program.

Senior-Level Support and Coaching

Growth does not stop at proficiency. In senior roles, drafters take on higher-complexity orders and mentor others — a Senior Drafter at Chief mentors and supports fellow drafters by answering questions, giving direction, reviewing their documents, and providing constructive feedback. If you do not have a four-year degree, that is not a barrier; many drafters build their skills through on-the-job training and steady coaching.

Drafting Career Paths at Chief

A Clear Progression from Entry-Level to Advanced Roles

Drafting at Chief is built for growth. A common progression looks like this:

• Drafting Apprentice — learning the fundamentals with hands-on support
• Drafter I — producing drawings on standard orders
• Drafter II — handling more complex orders with greater independence
• Senior Drafter — taking on higher-complexity orders, reviewing others’ work, and mentoring the team

Exact titles and levels vary by division, but the direction is the same: room to advance as your skills grow.

Cross-Division Mobility

Because drafting happens across multiple Chief brands — including Chief Buildings, Chief Fabrication, and BonnaVilla — there is room to grow in more than one direction over a career, without every division offering every role at once. Chief’s unwavering stability and long-term view give drafters a place to build a future, not just take a job.

Drafting Jobs in Grand Island, Nebraska

Much of Chief’s drafting work is based in Grand Island, Nebraska, where Chief Buildings and Chief Fabrication are located, with additional residential drafting at BonnaVilla in nearby Aurora, Nebraska, and Chief Buildings offices in other cities. As part of a company that supports 7 diverse brands and roughly 1,400 employees, drafters here are part of an organization with real scale and stability. When you are ready, you can go straight to the current openings below.

Current Drafting Openings

Openings change over time, but recent drafting and drafting-related roles have included:

• Senior Drafter — Chief Buildings (Grand Island, NE and other offices): prepares fabrication and erection drawings, reviews others’ work, and mentors fellow drafters.
• Residential Drafter II — BonnaVilla (Aurora, NE): produces working Revit drawings of manufactured housing for production.
• Engineering Technician — Chief Fabrication (Grand Island, NE): supports production with drawings, routings, and work instructions.

Because specific postings open and close, the button below always shows what is available right now.

Benefits and Culture

Benefits Snapshot

Chief backs its team with a competitive benefits package that typically includes:

• Paid vacation and time off
• 401(k) with company match
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Financial wellness coaching
• Employee assistance program
• Paid holidays
• Employee discounts
• Education assistance

A Culture Focused on Family and Community

Chief is a family-owned company that leads with its people. Leadership invests in employees’ strengths, and those family-owned roots show up in a strong emphasis on community and work-life balance. That spirit shapes the day-to-day, and you can get a feel for it through our Our Culture before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

When you are ready, start with View Job Listings and filter for drafting roles.

Am I Eligible?

If You Are Experienced

• CAD proficiency (AutoCAD, Revit)
• Ability to produce erection and fabrication documents
• Strong cross-team communication
• A mentoring mindset for senior roles

Requirements vary by opening, so the surest way to know if you are a fit is to check the current job listings.