DRAFTING OCCUPATIONS California Occupational Guide Number 338 Interest Area 5 1997
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 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 Drafters in California will reach 36,760 by 2005, an increase in new jobs of 5,090 over the number there was 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.
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