Please read on for answers to often-asked questions concerning the drafting/computer-assisted
drafting (CAD) technician at Durham Technical Community College.
|
| What is a drafting/CAD technician? |
This is a person who participates as a team member under the direction
of either an architect or engineer, working in the production of construction
document drawings. Skills require a knowledge of construction and engineering
graphic details produced in both manual and CAD format.
|
| Where do drafting/CAD technicians work?
|
The work is performed in the offices of architects, engineers, and designers.
Government agencies, institutional planning departments, and large corporate
businesses hire a significant number of these technicians.
|
| What is the future job outlook? |
While the employability of these technicians is directly linked to the
state of the construction economy, the future looks bright in our region
and the country as a whole.
|
| What are the educational requirements? |
Increasingly, the completion of an associate's degree is becoming the
standard educational requirement of training for this career field. Retraining
in this field for people with other career or educational backgrounds
or degrees is usually a plus.
|
| His there a future beyond the technician
level? |
Yes. Many people wish to earn degrees in architecture and engineering
beyond the associate's level. Universities often consider the associate's
degree equivalent to the first two years of the bachelor's degree.
|
| What is the salary for a drafting/CAD
technician? |
Salaries can vary widely depending on the size of the business and
on the business specialty. The current salary range for the drafting/CAD
technician is best identified by your local Employment Security Commission.
Most courses in the Architectural Technology program are offered in
the Newton Building, located on Cooper Street at Durham Tech's main
campus. Call 919-536-7234 for additional information about this program.
|
