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Drafting Occupations

THE JOB

DRAFTERS make drawings and plans to specify dimensions, materials, and 
processes used in the making of a final product.  These drawings are 
guidelines for the workers who will actually build or make whatever is being 
produced.  They also make drawings from blueprints, engineering sketches, 
photos, and other sources which show how parts and other objects work, their 
relation to one another, and how they will be put together.

Drafting work has many specialties, each with its own set of knowledge and 
skills and each applying to different fields.  Most fall into, or are at 
least generally related to, the five major specialties covered by this guide: 
Architectural, Civil, Electrical, Electronic, and Mechanical.  Technical 
Illustrator, another specialty area in the Drafter Occupations, is also 
covered in This California Occupational Guide.

Working from rough sketches, verbal instructions, and/or engineering data, 
Drafters and Design Drafters may produce working drawings by hand, such as 
schematic drawings, process and instrumentation diagrams, and drawings of 
finished products, using drafting machines, rules, curves, triangles, and 
other drawing tools.  More often, these workers produce drawings using a 
computer assisted drafting system (CAD).  They may also create freehand 
drawings and are usually expected to complete the lettering that goes with 
their drawings.

Actual duties and job titles differ, but most drafting and design jobs fall 
within three levels.  Trainee Drafter is the typical entry-level job.  The 
work of a Trainee Drafter is less complicated and often routine, and the 
work is closely supervised and reviewed.

An Intermediate Drafter has some drafting experience. This worker does 
simple drawings and changes existing drawings to show changes in design.  
Some calculations are made and some judgment may be used.  Supervision is 
lighter, but most work is still open to review.

A Senior Drafter draws the details of a design from sketches, verbal 
instructions, and other sources.  At this level, the Drafter is responsible 
for many calculations, such as weights, volumes, and stress factors.  A 
Senior Drafter may also work as crew leader, coordinating the work of other 
Drafters working on the same project.  Judgment and decision-making, when 
instructions are not clearly defined, may be necessary at this level.

The Design Drafter works under the direction of the Project Engineer or 
Chief Designer.  Although some Senior Drafter duties are often included, 
this worker mainly develops design concepts, with attention to appearance, 
proper mechanics, and other necessary things.  The Design Drafter often acts 
as supervisor and drawing and detail checker and may also act as go-between 
for the drafting room and the production area or construction site.

Architectural Drafters deal with the structural, functional, and decorative 
features of structures and buildings.  They may specialize in residential, 
industrial, commercial, or public buildings.

Civil Drafters work on plans for major construction projects such as dams, 
roads, bridges, and sewage systems.  They make drawings and topographic and 
relief maps which often cover large areas.

Electrical Drafters make wiring diagrams and schematics of electrical 
circuits for use by those who install and repair electrical systems such as 
those found in buildings, communication centers, and power plants.

Electronic Drafters make drawings of the layout and schematics of electronic 
devices and components. They may specialize in the drafting of drawings used 
to make one or several related types of devices or components or they may be 
involved with many kinds of electronic items.

Mechanical Drafters make plans and designs for many kinds of mechanical 
equipment.  They may be involved with both a mechanical product and the 
machines used to make the product.

Technical Illustrators do 3-D line drawings of parts and objects from 
different angles to show how they work, fit together and how they should be 
assembled, taken care of, and repaired.  They may specialize in catalogs, 
technical manuals and handbooks, and brochures, or presentation materials 
such as transparencies, flip charts, and slides.  Most Technical 
Illustrators make drawings for detailed instructions on how to assemble 
manufactured products.


WORKING CONDITIONS

Drafting rooms are usually set up to make the worker as comfortable as 
possible.  They are well-lit and kept at a comfortable temperature.  Most 
Drafters work at computers.  Drafting tables are adjustable so that workers 
who do drafting by hand may stand or sit as they please, but Drafters 
perform very detailed work for long periods of time, and the work may cause 
eyestrain and muscle pain.  Workers may go to other departments to talk with 
designers, drafters, and production personnel.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK


The California Projections of Employment, published by the Labor Market 
Information Division of the Employment Development Department, estimates 
that the number of Drafters in California will reach 36,760 by 2005, an 
increase in new jobs of 5,090 over the number there were in 1993.

There will also be an estimated 7,600 job openings due to people retiring 
or leaving the occupation.  Added to the 5,090 new jobs expected, this makes 
for an estimated total of 12,690 job opportunities through 2005.

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.)

New Drafters entering the labor market will face competition.  Those who 
have experience and are skilled in CAD will have the best chances, but most 
Drafters tend to be in industries that are very sensitive to changes in the 
general economy.  During recessions, Drafters will find it very hard to get 
work and those that are working may get laid off.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS


There are big differences in Drafter wages.  The nature of the job, its 
complexity, and its location affect earnings.  Wages are most often based upon 
a five day, forty-hour week, with overtime paid at a time and a half rate. 

Hourly pay for entry-level Drafters goes from minimum wage to $17.00.  
Intermediate-level Drafters can earn up to $19.00 per hour, and senior-level 
Drafters and Design Drafters can earn up to $27.00 or more per hour.  Many 
Drafters and Design Drafters also freelance during off-hours to earn extra 
money.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

Employers expect Drafters and Design Drafters to have a high school 
education, plus training in drafting from a trade school or college.  Many 
require a full associate's degree in drafting or a specialized area of 
drafting.  For those who want to go into design work, a bachelor's degree in 
industrial drafting and design is advisable.  It is necessary for drafters 
at all levels to be trained in computer assisted drafting (CAD).  In 
general, the Drafters with the most formal education will have a bigger 
choice of jobs and better chances for promotion. 

Subjects to study include the basic sciences (physics and chemistry, plus 
others, depending on the specialization), and math (algebra, descriptive 
geometry, and trigonometry), along with mechanical drawing and design 
courses.  Talent for drawing and lettering is important along with the 
ability to visualize 3-D objects from two-dimensional drawings, and the 
ability to make clear verbal and written presentations of drawings and 
plans.

Technical Illustrators should also have completed high school and college 
level classes in art, including freehand drawing and composition.


ADVANCEMENT


Promotion for a Drafter is usually in the form of more pay and 
responsibility and, in some instances, having the company recognize them 
for their work.  Outstanding workers may be made Supervisors, and 
Supervisors may get to management jobs, but most Drafters will stay in 
drafting jobs.



FINDING THE JOB

Applicants should contact employers directly.  Teacher referrals and school 
or college placement offices are also helpful.  The California Employment 
Development Department, private employment agencies, job shops, newspaper 
want ads, and notices in trade magazines are also good job leads.  Most 
employers will want to see a portfolio of recent work during the interview.


ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

American Design Drafting Association
PO Box 799
Rockville, MD 20848-0799
(301) 460-6875

American Institute of Technical Illustrators
2424 Sylvan Avenue, Suite 908
Alton, IL 62002-5502
(618) 462-3720

RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Commercial Artists             No.   4
Interior Designers             No. 189

OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev.1)
Drafter, Architectural     001.261-010
Drafter, Civil             005.281-010
Drafter, Electrical        003.281-010
Drafter, Electronic        003.281-014
Drafter, Mechanical        007.281-010
Technical Illustrator      017.281-034

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
Drafters                        225140


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department,
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
         (916) 262-2162.