Who Hires Drafters?

Once you have enrolled in your chosen drafting school you may be wondering where you can work after that. Many drafters will go onto a four-year university in order to obtain a bachelor’s degree in design or even engineering.  There are many great outlets and corporations who are always on the lookout for fresh and talented drafters. Here is a great idea of where you could be working once you receive your certification and degree.

One of the best places to work upon graduation is an architecture firm.  These firms usually house 2-3 drafters that will work alongside the architect to design a series of plans.  Some firms will only take on larger clients, while others will cater to smaller set clients.  Some firms will send recruiters to major drafting schools so that they can pick up drafters before they graduate.  If you have the right attendance count as well as the right grades and performance you have a very good shot at getting a job right out of school.  This of course is the overall goal, but there are other ways to get a job of this caliber.

Besides architecture firms, there are a number of other local companies that you can apply with.  Smaller construction companies are always looking to work with a drafter who can produce plans with proper calculations.  Your school should have an effective career center.  The professionals in this center should have some sort of list with the current employment rates as well as who is hiring in your area.  If you want to relocate, get a national job list for drafters and work from there.  Working for a small company does allow you to move up easier than you would with a larger firm.  However, the amount of pay that you might receive might not be as much as an architecture firm would pay.

Home building sites are another great place to work.  When a new empty plot of land is cleared out, this usually means there is a new residential neighborhood in the works.  As an architectural drafter, you can apply with these major builders in order to see what type of positions they have available.  Major builders such as Pulte Homes and KB Homes have employed drafters to create blueprints for the homes they build. If this is the direction you are looking to work in, make sure to make an appointment with one of these companies to find out about a possible job.

Working as an intern while you are attending your drafting school is a great idea.  Internships are usually not paid for the work done, but the experience you are receiving is unlike any other.  This is how you can get an inside look into the different specialties (depending on where you intern at), and find out what you might like to do in the long run.  Get connected with an internship through your chosen school and start during your schooling.  This will also give you a great learning curve and will give you a leg up when the time comes to put together your drafter’s portfolio.

There are a number of career building websites that might be able to show you who can hire you.  Take a look at www.careerbuilder.com or even www.monster.com in order to get an online job list.  You have plenty of job outlets upon graduating from your school so make sure your grades are up to par and you never miss a day!