Drafter

Although not a mandated requirement, most employers like to hire drafters who have completed high school as well as some training in drafting after high school. This training can be accomplished at many community colleges, technical schools and institutes, and some four-year universities. Both in high school and afterwards, relevant courses which help a prospective drafter are classes such as computers, math, design, science, and drafting.

Technical schools often offer two year degrees in drafting, but the length of the different programs vary considerably. They tend to offer more technical courses than community colleges or four year universities, both of which offer more general education classes.

There is a certification process for drafters, established by the American Design Drafting Association (ADDA). If a drafter wants to become certified, he or she must pass the Drafter Certification test. This test includes basic drafting techniques, architectural terms, and other drafting knowledge.

Although there are many different types of drafters, they all prepare some sort of technical drawings and/or plans. Drafters used to use pencils and paper but now generally use computers, and must be literate in computer aided design and drafting (CADD) programs. The drawings are prepared and stored on the computer but still need competent drafters to use the program.

There are many different types of drafters. Drafters can prepare drawings of everything from aircraft and missiles, in the case of aeronautical drafters to oil and gas refineries, in the case of pipelines or process piping drafters. Mechanical drafters can prepare drawings of many different mechanical systems and machinery, while civil drafters make maps and drawings of highways, bridges, and the like. Electrical drafters, as may be guessed by the name, prepare drafts of electrical systems.

Drafters are essential to manufacturing and construction as they prepare plans and technical drawings for everything from small machines to giant highways.

Drafters need to have an ability to draw well, visualize concepts and good attention to detail. It may help for a drafter to be familiar with construction methods in his or her field. It is essential that a drafter be able to perform neat, precise work. In addition, drafters should have good people skills, as they often have to work closely with other people.

The wages or salaries for drafters depend greatly on which subfield the drafter is in. The level of experience and responsibility also makes a difference when it comes to calculating salaries for drafters. In May 2006, architectural and civil drafters made a median annual salary of $41,960, with the middle fifty percent earning between $33,550 and $52,220. Mechanical drafters made slightly more, with the median yearly earnings being $43,700, and the middle fifty percent earning between $34,680 and $55,130. Electrical drafters earned the most, with the median yearly earnings being $46,830 and the middle fifty percent making between $36,660 and $60,160.

Rick Frymyr is the current Chairman of the Board of the American Design Drafting Association (ADDA). Richard Button is the Governor and CFO of ADDA, and Danny Lewis, Bruce Nielsen, and H. Duane Moore are also Governors of ADDA.

The American Design Drafting Association (ADDA) is a non-profit professional association for drafters that dates back to 1948. Originally founded by oil and gas piping drafters, ADDA is the earliest drafting club in the United States, although it was not called ADDA back then. Membership is available to any professional in the field of drafting, no matter which subfield he or she works in. The group has a long and illustrious history of advancing the field of drafting as well as helping promote the interest of drafters.

Drafters, like many professionals, make a different amount and are more employable in certain areas based on which area they specialize in. However, for general drafting jobs, Houston Texas is the current top city in the United States. Chicago, Illinois comes in at second place for drafting jobs. Atlanta, Georgia is in third place with New York City in fourth place in the United States.