Los Angeles Drafting Jobs Overview
Do you have a hard time choosing between a creative and technical career? Consider applying for drafting jobs, where you can combine your artistic abilities with your computer skills to help craft new buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. Drafters—also known as draftsmen, draftspeople, or drafting technicians—translate the ideas of architects and engineers into technical drawings that are easy for construction or manufacturing crews to read and build. In this career, you'll be following in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci, who many consider to be one of the first master drafters—his technical drawings of inventions were revolutionary.
Today, most drafters use computer-aided design (CAD) software or computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software. Drafters can also draw by hand using a tilting table or a drafting machine, but this is mostly limited to the concept stage. Software is used for the final design.
Drafters usually specialize in one of the following areas:
- Mechanical drafters prepare diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices.
- Architectural drafters work with architects to produce designs for buildings and infrastructure.
- Civil drafters work with civil engineers to create maps, drawings, and diagrams of buildings and infrastructure.
- Electrical and electronic drafters work with electrical and electronic engineers to produce diagrams and drawings of equipment and parts.
You can expand your search for engineering jobs by checking out these similar positions:
About Working in Los Angeles, California
The Hollywood sign stands for everything glamourous and star-studded in Los Angeles. But did you know it was built in the 1920s to advertise a new neighborhood called Hollywoodland? The "land" was eventually dropped from the sign in 1949, and it became associated with nearby Paramount Pictures, Universal, and Warner Brothers. Today, downtown L.A. is the largest government hub outside of Washington D.C. and has the largest historical theater district in the U.S. But not all Los Angeles jobs are in show business. More than 700,000 health services and biomedical jobs and 190,000 aerospace jobs stoke L.A.'s economy.
If L.A. were a country, the city's economy would be bigger than those of Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and Sweden. Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis, engulfing five counties—Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange, and San Bernardino. If you're looking for jobs in Los Angeles, you have a lot of choices for relocation. There are more than 80 neighborhoods in L.A. and 16 districts just in downtown. For those who want a slightly less hectic pace, you can also find jobs in L.A.'s beautiful suburbs, including Pasadena, West Covina, and Anaheim.
Update Your Los Angeles Drafting Resume
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How Much Do Drafting Jobs Pay in Los Angeles, California?
Got money on your mind? You should! Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Our Salary Tools can help you understand what you can expect to make in drafting jobs in Los Angeles, California, as well as the skills that can boost your value and what the next steps in your career might be. Right now, the median drafter pay in Los Angeles is $26.89 per hour, which is 10% higher than the national average.
Find Your Next Los Angeles Drafting Job. Monster Can Help Get You Started
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