What Does it Take to Be an Electrical Drafter?
Electrical Drafter Definition Develop specifications and instructions for installation of voltage transformers, overhead or underground cables, and related electrical equipment used to conduct electrical energy from transmission lines or high-voltage distribution lines to consumers.
List of Electrical Drafter Job Duties
- Reproduce working drawings on copy machines or trace drawings in ink.
- Study work order requests to determine type of service, such as lighting or power, demanded by installation.
- Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
- Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
- Write technical reports and draw charts that display statistics and data.
- Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.
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What Every Electrical Drafter Should Know
When polled, Electrical Drafters say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operations Analysis: Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Other Electrical Drafter Job Titles
- Electrical Computer Aided Design Operator (Electrical CAD Operator)
- Electrical Designer
- Associate Drafter
- Estimator and Drafter Supervisor
- Drafter
Is There Job Demand for Electrical Drafters?
In the United States, there were 27,400 jobs for Electrical Drafter in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,900 new jobs for Electrical Drafter by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,600 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Electrical Drafter are Nevada, Colorado, and Vermont. Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, Wyoming, or South Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of an Electrical Drafter
The salary for Electrical Drafters ranges between about $36,660 and $99,240 a year.
Electrical Drafters who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Electrical Drafters in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $55,550 |
| Alaska | $67,360 |
| Arizona | $63,790 |
| Arkansas | $60,730 |
| California | $76,420 |
| Colorado | $60,430 |
| Connecticut | $58,250 |
| Delaware | $65,480 |
| District of Columbia | $87,870 |
| Florida | $55,390 |
| Georgia | $54,220 |
| Hawaii | $63,020 |
| Idaho | $44,760 |
| Illinois | $68,930 |
| Indiana | $57,980 |
| Iowa | $61,380 |
| Kansas | $45,910 |
| Kentucky | $58,200 |
| Louisiana | $68,510 |
| Maine | $58,190 |
| Maryland | $61,750 |
| Massachusetts | $63,880 |
| Michigan | $47,620 |
| Minnesota | $63,870 |
| Mississippi | $60,340 |
| Missouri | $61,420 |
| Montana | $51,960 |
| Nebraska | $56,520 |
| Nevada | $57,850 |
| New Hampshire | $65,740 |
| New Jersey | $69,950 |
| New Mexico | $74,870 |
| New York | $69,500 |
| North Carolina | $47,690 |
| North Dakota | $62,400 |
| Ohio | $59,680 |
| Oklahoma | $64,650 |
| Oregon | $70,700 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,170 |
| South Carolina | $63,210 |
| Tennessee | $63,600 |
| Texas | $60,760 |
| Utah | $61,660 |
| Vermont | $77,590 |
| Virginia | $61,160 |
| Washington | $88,120 |
| West Virginia | $63,740 |
| Wisconsin | $54,720 |
| Wyoming | $57,530 |
What Tools & Technology do Electrical Drafters Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Electrical Drafters:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Access
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Microsoft Visio
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Dassault Systemes CATIA
- Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
- Bentley MicroStation
- PTC Creo Parametric
- Autodesk Revit
- Verilog
- Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
- PTC Pro/INTRALINK
- PTC Pro/Pipe
- Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Project Management
- PTC Pro/CABLE
Becoming an Electrical Drafter
Education needed to be an Electrical Drafter:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Electrical Drafters Work?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Career changers with experience as an Electrical Drafter sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Pixabay via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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