Overview
In this career, your responsibilities may include:
- Preparing detailed technical drawings and plans for architecture or engineering projects under the direction of an architect or engineer, using computer-aided design (CAD) software or traditional drafting techniques.
Job Titles
In your job search, you may find listings for this career under different titles. You can find some examples of these, as well as more information about Architectural and Civil Drafters, Electrical and Electronics Drafters, and Mechanical Drafters, at Career One Stop.
Academic Requirements
Typically requires an associate degree, preferably in Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology would allow you to work as an Engineering Technologist, if you do not already have the U.S. equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Architecture (B.Arch) or Engineering would allow you to work as an Architect or Engineer. Your associate degree might give you advanced standing or transfer credit toward a bachelor’s degree, reducing the time it would take you to graduate.
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Certification
Certifications are not required, but could make employers more likely to hire you or offer you a higher salary.
You may be eligible for Autodesk certification in AutoCAD or Revit, depending on your hours of experience with the software.
- Note: Most employers care only that you are proficient in using this software, not that you are certified. However, if you do not have a portfolio of work to prove your proficiency, certification is another way you can show employers that you know how to use AutoCAD or Revit.
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Licensure
No licensure is required to work as a Drafter.
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Mutual Recognition Agreement
A Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) is an agreement between two or more jurisdictions to accept the educational or professional credentials granted under each other’s authority. This means that if you graduated with a specific degree or earned certain professional qualifications in a country covered under an MRA, your credentials may be automatically recognized here in the U.S. Several professions in the U.S participate in MRAs, including accounting, architecture, and engineering.
The Washington Accord is an MRA between engineering organizations in multiple countries to recognize each other’s accredited academic qualifications. If you graduated from an accredited engineering program in one of the 22 non-U.S. jurisdictions covered by the Washington Accord, then your engineering degree may already be declared substantially equivalent to a degree from a U.S. program, and you may not need to obtain a credential evaluation. However, individual state licensing boards have the final authority on whether or not a particular degree meets their specific requirements for licensure. MRAs are not legally binding, and some states may choose not to recognize credentials covered under an MRA.
- In addition to the U.S., the jurisdictions that have signed to the Washington Accord are: Australia; Canada; People’s Republic of China; Chinese Taipei; Costa Rica; Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China; India; Indonesia; Ireland; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Pakistan; Peru; Russia; Singapore; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Turkey; and United Kingdom.
The Seoul Accord covers computing and IT degree programs, which may apply to internationally trained computer engineers and other engineers in computing-related fields.
- In addition to the U.S., the jurisdictions that have signed to the Seoul Accord are: Australia; Canada; Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China; Japan; Korea; Mexico; Taiwan, Republic of China; and United Kingdom.
For engineering technicians and technologists, there are also MRAs that cover 2 and 4-year engineering technology degrees: the Dublin Accord and the Sydney Accord.
If your degree may be covered under an MRA, always check with your state licensing board to be sure that they accept the agreement.
Contact us with any questions you might have.