Employment Outlook in Drafting Field

Many industries utilize the drawing skills of draftsmen.  The architectural and civil drafting areas are supposed to grow by nine percent between now and 2018. This is the fastest growing sector of the drafting industry.  Much of the growth will be driven by the need to update the nation's infrastructure. For mechanical and electronic draftsmen there will be about four percent job growth between now and 2018.  This slower growth will be due to the recent recession and slowing in the manufacturing sectors of the United States economy, according the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Salary Potential in Drafting Field

Those employed in the drafting field can often make good salaries working for good companies.  Salaries for draftsmen vary by their location, experience, and specialties. For those in the architectural and civil drafting categories, average salaries were between $35,000 and $55,000 in 2008. For those employed in the mechanical category, average salaries were between $36,000 and $59,000 in 2008. In the electronics drafting category, salaries were between $40,000 and $65,000 annually in 2008, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

College Programs Available in Drafting

Colleges have excellent training programs in the drafting field. Colleges currently offer certificate and degree programs in this field. However, many employers require that those getting hired in this field have at least a 2 year, associate's degree in drafting. Many colleges have also made drafting into an online program. So, you can obtain your new degree according to your own schedule.

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