Drafting Careers and Industry Overview

Drafters prepare technical plans and drawings that are used by construction workers to build products.Products may include manufactured products such an appliances, toys, and machinery, or structures such as building homes, pipelines, etc.The sketched plans provide visual guidelines, specific dimensions and technical details of a product or structure.These drawings are needed before an object, or building can be put into production, or an engineering project can begin.Drafters' expertise in drawing along with the ever-growing computer capabilities, enable them to provide architects with precise and representational diagrams.Drafters ensure that buildings are made as exact and accurate as possible.They use their knowledge of standardized building techniques to draw details of the various elements.Most of the drawings are done using CADD systems that employ computers to create and store drawings and sketches electronically that are then viewed, printed, or programmed directly into an automated manufacturing system. In addition to CADD programs, drafters use calculators, tables, and computers and refer to technical handbooks to complete their work.

Required Education, Training and Skills

Drafting opportunities are most easily attainable to individuals who have a minimum of two years of postsecondary training in drafting with advanced skills in using computer-aided and drafting (CADD) systems.Preferred applicants have completed postsecondary school training in drafting; training that is usually offered by technical institutes, community colleges, vocational schools and some four-year universities and colleges.Students should be proficient in drafting, mechanical drawing, with an extensive knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering technology and drafting standards.Coursework may vary from program to program, but all typically cover math and communication skills.Technical institutions offer more extensive technical training with less general education than community colleges.The curricula offered by community colleges are similar to technical institutions with the addition of courses on theory and liberal arts.A greater number of community college courses are accepted for credit by four-year colleges.Some postsecondary vocational-technical schools focus more on training preferred by local employers.

Career Opportunities and Job Examples

Drafting career opportunities are comprised of a variety of specialties and titles, many of which denote a particular discipline of drafting, or design. Architectural drafters draw structural features of buildings or other freestanding structures.These workers may specialize in a type of structure such as commercial, or residential buildings.They may have an even more specialized knowledge of a particular material used such as steel, timber or reinforced concrete.Civil drafters create drawings and topographical and relief maps that are used in major civil engineering construction, or construction, such as bridges, highways, pipelines and water and sewage systems, etc.Electrical drafters prepare wiring and layout diagrams used by workers who repair and install electrical equipment and wiring in power plants, buildings and electrical distribution systems.Mechanical drafters prepare drawings displaying the detail and assembly of a wide variety of machinery and mechanical devices, indicating dimensions, proper fastening methods and other necessary requirements.

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