Career profile · SOC ESC-4D8ECCA7

electrical drafter

Electrical drafters support engineers in the design and conceptualisation of electrical equipment. They draft, with the support of specialised software, the specifications of a varied number of electrical systems such as voltage transformers, power plants, or energy supply in buildings.

electrical drafter electrical drafters support engineers in the design and conceptualisation of electrical equipment. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include electricity principles, electrical equipment regulations, design drawings, electrical engineering, mathematics.

AI exposure
5.0/10
automation risk

Pay in the UK

UK: median £35,221 a year for CAD, drawing and architectural technicians (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)

Middle half of full-time jobs: £29,500 to £42,481 a year

UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3120). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)

Pay in India (occupation group)

Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only electrical drafter, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.

Urban India
₹31,909 a month
Rural India
₹18,966 a month
All India
₹26,175 a month

Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report

Top skills

electricity principles electrical equipment regulations design drawings electrical engineering mathematics technical drawings CAD software manual draughting techniques electricity electrical equipment components

Knowledge you'll build

  • Design
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Computers and Electronics
  • English Language
  • Mathematics
  • Administrative
  • Education and Training
  • Public Safety and Security

What you'd actually do

  • Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
  • 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.
  • Review completed construction drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to standards and regulations.
  • Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
  • Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.

Tools & technology you'd use

Autodesk AutoCAD hot Autodesk Revit hot Bentley MicroStation hot Microsoft Excel hot Microsoft Office software hot Microsoft Outlook hot Microsoft Word hot NavisWorks Jetstream Adobe Illustrator hot C hot C++ hot Dassault Systemes SolidWorks hot

Frequently asked questions

What does electrical drafter do?

Electrical drafters support engineers in the design and conceptualisation of electrical equipment. They draft, with the support of specialised software, the specifications of a varied number of electrical systems such as voltage transformers, power plants, or energy supply in buildings.

What skills does electrical drafter need?

The most in-demand skills for this role include electricity principles, electrical equipment regulations, design drawings, electrical engineering, mathematics, technical drawings. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Will AI replace electrical drafter?

Our AI-durability model gives electrical drafter a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.

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