Are you curious about a career as a Drafter in the United States of America? Now you can learn what Drafters do, how to become one, salary, and job outlook.
As you begin your search for Drafter jobs in the United States of America, you will need to become familiar with the following terminology:
Drafter – The person who makes blueprints for new or remodeled buildings.
Drafting – The process of preparing drawings and/or plans to show how a structure should be built.
Drafter/Draftsman – Drafter is the word used to describe the person who makes the blueprints. Draftsman is the term used to describe the person who actually does the work of constructing a building.
Blueprint – A document prepared by a Drafter that shows the overall layout of a project. The blueprint usually includes all the drawings and specifications that are required to construct a building.
As a Drafter, you will be involved in preparing blueprints for the construction of buildings, bridges, and other structures. The term “drafter” means the person who makes drawings or plans. You may be called a Drafter regardless of your specific role or area of specialization.
Drafters prepare drawings of blueprints that show the overall layout of a project. The drawings and the specifications for the project must be signed by a professional architect.
Drafters are members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), who draft architectural drawings for projects such as houses, office buildings, and industrial and commercial complexes. Drafters are responsible for drafting the design details of projects, preparing the designs, and presenting them to clients.
Drafters are employed by building owners and developers to inspect, document, and create construction drawings that illustrate the architectural and engineering details for new or remodeled buildings. Drafters make their living by drawing plans and specifications on computer using a drafting package (often called a CAD or Computer Aided Design program) and then converting them into a hard copy or electronic format that is used by the building’s architects, engineers, contractors, or other people who are responsible for construction. Drafters also may draw construction drawings for new structures that are not part of an existing building.
You can learn more about the career as a Drafter by reading the following information. You may be able to find a job with this knowledge. If you like this career, you may want to continue your education to specialize in this field. Or you may decide to enter this profession after completing a high school diploma or some other training program. What does a Drafter do? The term Drafter means the person who makes drawings or plans. Most Drafters create blueprints that show the overall layout of a project. The term “drafter” usually is used to describe the person who prepares the drawings and who signs the drawings. However, there are many different jobs in the construction industry and in drafting, including: Drafters may prepare architectural and engineering drawings for projects such as houses, office buildings, and industrial and commercial complexes. Architects, engineers, contractors, and others use these drawings to design the building’s structure.
A Drafter usually must have a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, or Drafting from a four-year college or university. After graduation, Drafters are required to pass a professional examination, often called the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) exam, which tests their ability to use various types of drafting software. Drafters are members of the AIA, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the National Association of Drafters.
Drafters can work for design firms, local government agencies, or private companies. Many Drafters work for large architectural firms, which hire them to create detailed drawings of architectural plans and other designs. These drawings are used to help architects create the plans and specifications for a building’s structure and interior space. Drafters may be required to draw many different types of drawings, depending on the type of project they are working on.
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