Drafters
Description OES Code: 22514
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.

Wages, California
Entry-Level Hourly Wage $13.95
25th Percentile $16.17
50th Percentile $20.44
75th Percentile $25.75

Wages, San Joaquin County
Entry-Level Hourly Wage $13.55
25th Percentile $14.76
50th Percentile $17.16
75th Percentile $24.82

Wages by California County
• OES Survey
• CCOIS Survey

Hours & Benefits
Drafters most often work according to a five day, forty-hour week, with overtime paid at a time and a half rate. Many Drafters and Design Drafters also freelance during off-hours to earn extra money.

Employment Trends, California
Employment 1998 28,400
Employment 2008 31,800
Percent Change 1998-2008 12%
Separations 1998-2008 7,200

Employment Trends, San Joaquin County
Employment 1999 310
Projected Employment 2006 360
Percent Change 1999-2006 16.1%
Separations 1999-2006 60

Employment Trends by California County

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.

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.

Getting the Job & Other Information
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.

For a list of current job listing, browse CalJOBS or America's Job Bank.

Education 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.

Skills & Other Requirements
Among skills that rank high for drafters are the ability to apply advanced technical math, basic engineering principles, electronic principles, field notes (to detailed technical drawings), government regulations, graphic arts techniques, and trigonometry. Also important is the ability to draw prototypes, interpret engineering data and maps, operate blueprinting equipment, read schematics, research property records, understand manufacturing methods, use CAD software, use construction industry codes, computer keyboards, word processing software and spreadsheet software, visualize spatial relationships, apply geometry and land surveying techniques, interpret aerial photographs and property documents, and read / understand operating manuals.

References
California Occupational Guide #338

Oregon Labor Market Information System Skill Explorer

Related Occupations: Commercial Artists, Interior Designers

Training: California Training and Education Providers (CTEP)