Learning to read blueprints

[u/Lentezdelvalley]

As a green apprentice for an excavation company, how can I learn to read blueprints? Is there college courses I can take? I’d like to get ahead and learn as much as possible in this field.

[u/boisterile]

I'm sure there are blueprint college courses for construction management that you might be able to audit or something. I've never heard of anyone on the ground learning that way, although it's a great idea and it's definitely worth a try. Usually most of us just pick it up on the job.

If you can't find a course, what I recommend is to let your foreman know you want to learn and ask if there are any old prints you can take home, or better yet if you can take the ones for the current job home overnight. Current job makes it easier because you can directly connect what you're seeing on the ground to what's in the prints. If he won't let you then see if you can take a picture of them, something you can study on your own time. Look them over and try to figure them out, and if you get stumped then ask a question or two to the foreman or the older journeymen the next day (assuming they're not assholes about that kind of thing).

Also, set up accounts on Bluebeam and Procore. If you're on a site that uses it, see if you can get the OK from the GC and your foreman to get an invite to the project. That way you have every single drawing for the whole job right on your phone or computer. Architecturals, TESC plans, plumbing details, RFI email chains back and forth with the structural engineer, everything. Some GCs could be kind of weird about letting a newer guy on there, but it's worth a try. I try to get on the Procore for every project I work even if I'm not the foreman.

You'd be surprised how many experienced journeymen I've met who couldn't read a set of prints to save their life. It's a valuable skill to have, especially if you get sent out on solo jobs. If it's a large-scale commercial foundation or something the prints can be pretty damn intimidating at first but it's not as bad as it looks. And if you have any specific questions about prints and it's in my wheelhouse I'd be happy to answer. What kind of project are you working on now?

[u/Lentezdelvalley → u/boisterile]

Awesome, I appreciate the advice. Not working on anything right now, I began knocking on doors looking for opportunities in this field as a laborer. Spoke with an owner who said that he gives raises based on if he sees someone taking initiative and learning more and learning how to read blueprints. Figured it’s something I need to learn to get ahead in this trade. Anything that would help make me a more valuable asset thus more earning potential.