If you take the right program you will learn just about anything you ever wanted related to blueprints and designing structures. To find one of these programs you need only go as far as your local community college and inquire as to whether or not they have and degree courses related to Architectural Drafting. If you do find one though, you are going to have to be prepared for a lot of work if you want to start yourself a brand new career. You will find that some of the course work might involve: Blueprint Reading, AutoCad, Autodesk Inventor, Mold Design, and even Mechanical Drafting. For the most part Autodesk has been the company responsible for the design software that is available including AutoCad and 3DS Max.
You're going to find that it is hard to get training on these pieces of software outside the classroom, and even if you could afford them yourself, they wouldn't be much use without the instruction or the benefit of other classes in the degree course. Remember, while you may know how to do something it's not going to mean anything unless you have that piece of paper that says you're competent.
Getting yourself involved in this field isn't going to be too bad of an idea. There is a lot of work, and there's also a decent salary! The US Department of Labor Bureau Statistics says that while there are some changes from person to person in the different industries, the average for Architectural Drafters is approximately $39,000 per year, which is more than just mere pocket change. In all honesty that will probably keep you in a nice house for the foreseeable future if you choose to join this thriving field, and you need to keep in mind that this is just the starting salary. As you advance in the field your price will go up, and as will your demand.
As far as the career outlook, the demand for drafters will probably grow fairly slow. Those who have the most education and have proven themselves will likely get the best jobs in any industry. Therefore if you want to get anywhere in this field you will need to make sure that you do everything you can to be the best. Learn everything you can, make your resume longer, and prove to employers that you have what it takes to take their company to the next level.
No one ever said that becoming an Architectural Drafter was going to be easy, but by being the best you can certainly level the playing field and get where you want to go. So give it your best shot and see where the road of life takes you. You never know what might happen!
