Career Details
Career Details
Back to top

Career Details

17-3012.00 - Electrical and Electronics Drafters


Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for the manufacture, installation, or repair of electrical equipment.


Key Facts
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
30,100
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
31,700
Estimate
Change in Employment
+1,600
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+5.4%
Estimate
Tasks
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
  • Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
  • Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
  • Review completed construction drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to standards and regulations.
  • Examine electronic schematics and supporting documents to develop, compute, and verify specifications for drafting data, such as configuration of parts, dimensions, or tolerances.
  • Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
  • Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
  • Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
  • Locate files relating to specified design project in database library, load program into computer, and record completed job data.
  • Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.
  • Draw master sketches to scale showing relation of proposed installations to existing facilities and exact specifications and dimensions.
  • Study work order requests to determine type of service, such as lighting or power, demanded by installation.
  • Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments, as necessary.
  • Review work orders or procedural manuals and confer with vendors or design staff to resolve problems or modify design.
  • Reproduce working drawings on copy machines or trace drawings in ink.
Generic
  • Prepare and interpret specifications, calculating weights, volumes, or stress factors.
  • Supervise or train other technologists, technicians, or drafters.
  • Use computer-aided drafting equipment or conventional drafting stations, technical handbooks, tables, calculators, or traditional drafting tools, such as boards, pencils, protractors, or T-squares.
Supplemental
  • Generate computer tapes of final layout design to produce layered photo masks or photo plotting design onto film.
  • Key and program specified commands and engineering specifications into computer system to change functions and test final layout.
  • Supervise and coordinate work activities of workers engaged in drafting, designing layouts, assembling, or testing printed circuit boards.
  • Compare logic element configuration on display screen with engineering schematics and calculate figures to convert, redesign, or modify element.
  • Determine the order of work and the method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
  • Review blueprints to determine customer requirements and consult with assembler regarding schematics, wiring procedures, or conductor paths.
  • Visit proposed installation sites and draw rough sketches of location.
  • Select drill size to drill test head, according to test design and specifications, and submit guide layout to designated department.
  • Plot electrical test points on layout sheets and draw schematics for wiring test fixture heads to frames.
  • Write technical reports and draw charts that display statistics and data.
  • Copy drawings of printed circuit board fabrication using print machine or blueprinting procedure.
  • Train students to use drafting machines and to prepare schematic diagrams, block diagrams, control drawings, logic diagrams, integrated circuit drawings, or interconnection diagrams.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 84%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Design
  • 80%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 English Language
  • 76%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 74%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Mathematics
  • 72%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Clerical
  • 69%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 61%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Production and Processing
  • 55%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Education and Training
  • 54%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 53%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Drafting supplies
  • Compasses
  • Dividers
  • Drafting curves
  • Drafting machines
  • Drafting triangles
  • Protractors
  • T-squares
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • 1CadCam Unigraphics
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • Autodesk RevitHOT
  • Aveva Group Plant Design Management System PDMSHOT
  • Bentley AutoPLANTHOT
  • Bentley I/RAS BHOT
  • Bentley MicroStationHOT
  • Bentley PlantSpace SupportModelerHOT
  • Cadence PSpice
  • COADE CADWorx P&IDHOT
  • Computer aided design and drafting software CADDHOT
  • Dassault Systemes CATIAHOT
  • Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKSHOT
  • ECT International Raceway Multi-PackHOT
  • Intergraph INtoolsHOT
  • Mentor Graphics Expedition EnterpriseHOT
  • Mentor Graphics PADSHOT
  • Mentor Graphics Xpedition xDX DesignerHOT
  • PTC Creo ParametricHOT
  • PTC Pro/CABLEHOT
  • PTC Pro/PipeHOT
  • SofTech CADRAHOT
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA softwareHOT
  • The MathWorks MATLABHOT
  • UGS Solid EdgeHOT
  • Zuken CADSTARHOT
 Finance accounting and enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Bowen & Groves M1 ERPHOT
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP softwareHOT
  • Epicor VantageHOT
  • Exact Software Macola ERPHOT
  • Made2Manage Systems M2M ERPHOT
  • Manufacturing resource planning MRP softwareHOT
  • Sage ERP AccpacHOT
  • SoftBrands Fourth Shift EditionHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Design specification database software
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
  • PEDYN P2000
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft VisioHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
 Business function specific software
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
  • Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Project Management
  • PTC Pro/INTRALINK
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Certifications
FastForward at Virginia's Community Colleges is a short-term training program for high-demand industries, like healthcare, information technology, and skilled trades and infrastructure, helping Virginians get the jobs and salaries they need. Our goal is to get you trained, help you earn your certification, and get you into a career that can support you and your family. Explore the latest training program offerings by visiting FastForward
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Blue Ridge Community College
Brightpoint Community College
Central Virginia Community College
Danville Community College
Eastern Shore Community College
Germanna Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Laurel Ridge Community College
Marymount University
Mountain Empire Community College
Mountain Gateway Community College
New River Community College
Norfolk State University
Northern Virginia Community College
Patrick & Henry Community College
Paul D. Camp Community College
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Rappahannock Community College
Southside Virginia Community College
Southwest Virginia Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Wytheville Community College