Looking for a career that lasts a lifetime? One that doesn’t require years in college?

Do you like to see the results of your work? Do like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions? Do you enjoy puzzles, cross-words, or sudokus? Do you like to express yourself by drawing, scrapbooking, remodeling, or making things? Maybe you should be a drafter.

What is a drafter?

Drafters prepare technical drawings. Production and construction workers follow these drawings to build everything from radios to office buildings. These drawings show the technical details of the products and structures from all sides. They also include exact dimensions, specific materials to be used, and procedures to be followed.

Drafters meet with engineers, architects, and other people who need the technical drawings. From these meetings, drafters learn details about the project or item that will be built. Drafters may receive calculations and rough drawings from clients at these meetings. They often visit job sites to collect data and take measurements. Drafters take the rough information and turn it into sketches or scale drawings. They use their own knowledge of the field to fill in some of the details on drawings. For example, they use their knowledge of building techniques to draw in the details of a structure. They also refer to technical handbooks and tables for this information. Drafters may create several different versions of a drawing. Each version reflects a different manufacturing or construction approach.

Several drafters may work on drawings for the same project. Thus, senior drafters may coordinate the work of other drafters.

Today, drafters use computer-aided drafting (CAD) systems to create production drawings. CAD is also used to create records, reports, and charts as well.

Specializations

Drafters specialize in one area.

• Architectural drafters draw features of buildings and other structures.
• Aeronautical drafters prepare drawings of aircraft and missiles.
• Civil drafters prepare drawings and maps of highways, pipelines, and water systems.
• Electrical drafters draw wiring and layout diagrams.
• Electronic drafters draw wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings.
• Engineering or mechanical drafters make detailed drawings of machinery and mechanical devices.

NTI prepares graduates for careers in Architectural and Engineering drafting.

Why NTI?

You’ll notice NTI doesn’t use the word “drafting” in the titles of our programs: Product Design & Engineering Technology and Architectural Building Technology. This is because NTI prepares graduates for the more advanced role of designer. We teach the math, science and construction/manufacturing principles needed to analyze needs and requirements of products; test and inspect products and processes; evaluate quality; and determine the causes of technical problems and find solutions for them.

We prepare graduates to suceed.

More Information

Want to know more about being a drafter? Go to iSeek (link will open in a new window). Also see “Engineering, Is it for you?”

Want to learn more about NTI? Request information.