Representatives from Oil States Industries recently held a recruiting event at San Jacinto College to meet with associate degree drafting candidates from the engineering design graphics (EDG) program. Kelly Collins, with the human resources department at Oil States Industries, said that the company is looking to hire two entry-level drafters per semester.
“We know San Jacinto College provides students with the curriculum and the training on software that we use,” said Collins. “Once we hire them, they will be assigned a mentor that will guide and teach them everything within their job description. Moreover, we will provide any additional training, exams, and/or certifications he or she needs to start as a full-time drafter.”
Collins added that drafters who start at Oil States Industries would begin making approximately $40,000. The company plans to start employees as drafters and transition them into senior drafter positions, and later into designer and senior designer positions.
“These jobs pay very well and come with excellent benefits, but we do prefer an associate degree,” said Collins. “This is why we choose to look to our local community colleges to fill these positions and promote from within.”
Anna Cummings, engineering design graphics department chair at San Jacinto College, said that engineering companies in Houston have a large employment gap to fill. Drafters enjoy a healthy job outlook, according to the Department of Labor, with Texas leading in employment in this field.
“The companies that are looking for graduates are mainly in oil and gas areas,” said Cummings. “These companies build oil platforms, materials, and tools. With oil and gas production as high as it is, there are many positions available for drafters. Engineering groups hire drafters as assistants to designers and engineers.”
Drafters use 2D and 3D computer-aided drafting (CAD) software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings and plans. There are several types of drafters, including electronics, electrical, civil, architectural, instrumentation, piping, with mechanical and petro/industrial in high demand in the Houston region.
Mechanical drafters prepare layouts that show details for a wide variety of machinery and mechanical devices. Petro/Industrial drafters prepare plans used in the layout, construction and operation of oil and gas fields, refineries, chemical plants, and process piping systems, according to the Department of Labor.
San Jacinto College offers a general EDG certificate of technology and an associate of applied science degree, as well as concentrations of study with specialty certificates of technology and associate degrees in mechanical, petro/industrial and architectural/civil/structural. Software training is available in AutoCAD, MicroStation, Inventor, ProECreo, PDMS, 3D Studio Max, with SolidWorks and CadWorx coming soon. Engineering and design graphics programs and courses are available on all three San Jacinto College campuses.
Jeannie Peng-Armao