Do your doodles look more like architectural masterpieces than a bunch of squiggly lines? Are you inspired by all of the popular do-it-yourself home improvement programs on television to draw up your own plans for renovation? While a blank sketch pad and a sharp pencil can suffice, computer drafting is so much more conducive to letting your imagination run wild. Whether you aspire to build skyscrapers or simply a new entertainment center for your living room, taking classes at a computer drafting school can take your plans to the next level. 

Computer aided design and drafting, or CADD for short, is the way of both the present and the future when it comes to designing everything from canned food labels to the fastest car on the racetrack. The gentle scratch of a pencil on a pad of paper might be music to some drafters' ears, but when it comes to designs that look professional, CADD programs are the way to go. Though most drafters are able artists, the newest computer programs allow anyone to put their ideas on paper and make them a reality. 

From First Draft to Final Masterpiece 
CADD is an excellent tool for drafters to use, but one must first attend a computer drafting school at a technical institute or community college; a number of four-year colleges also offer programs in computer drafting. After all, computer drafters draw the lines that will eventually become the sleek curves of a jet ski or the sharp angles of a modern home. That is why it is important for drafters to learn what goes into building the structures they dream up. Though the curriculum at computer drafting schools will vary, you can expect to take classes in architecture, engineering, and electronics. The American Design Drafting Association (ADDA) has created a curriculum that leads to certification in computer drafting, though certification is not usually a requirement for employment.  

Above all, it is not the degree but the actual skills that will get you the job; employers are looking for applicants with top-notch drafting and mechanical drawing skills, as well as a sound background in math, science, and engineering. In fact, many computer drafters obtain a two-year or four-year degree in one of these fields or in another related discipline to give them a better understanding of building and manufacturing techniques. After all, the more realistically your draft or sketch is drawn, the better the chance of it actually being built or manufactured.   

If you are hired as an entry-level drafter, chances are you will work under the supervision of a more senior drafter while you gain experience. As you move up in a company, you will be given more responsibility, which may also include a voice in what you design or how it is designed. A drafter's salary can vary greatly depending on the type of industry and its location. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of civil and architectural drafters in 2006 was $41,960. 

If you are looking for a career in which you are able to see your dreams really take flight, then enroll in a computer drafting school and sketch your own professional path.