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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
- Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.
- Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
- Use computer-aided drafting equipment or conventional drafting stations, technical handbooks, tables, calculators, and traditional drafting tools, such as boards, pencils, protractors, and T-squares.
- Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
- Write technical reports and draw charts that display statistics and data.
- Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
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What an Electrical Drafter Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Electrical Drafters say are important on the job.
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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Associate Drafter
- Estimator and Drafter
- Engineering Associate
- AutoCAD Designer
- Drafter
Are There Job Opportunities 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. There will be an estimated 2,600 positions for Electrical Drafter per 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.
Salary for an Electrical Drafter
The typical yearly salary for Electrical Drafters is somewhere between $36,660 and $99,240.
Electrical Drafters who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
How much do Electrical Drafters make in each U.S. state?
| 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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Electrical Drafters
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
Individuals working as an Electrical Drafter have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Electrical Drafters Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Electrical Drafters employed by various industries.
Related Careers
Are you already one of the many Electrical Drafter in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Pixabay via CC0 License
More about our data sources and methodologies.