How to hire a drafting internship

How to hire a drafting internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step drafting internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a drafting internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new drafting internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a drafting internship do?

Post a drafting internship job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your drafting internship job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a drafting internship for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A drafting internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, drafting interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of drafting internship salaries for various roles:

   Type of Drafting Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Drafting Internship	Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. Most workers specialize in architectural, civil, electrical, or mechanical drafting and use technical drawings to help design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.	$14-27
   Computer Aided Design Designer	A computer-aided design (CAD) designer is responsible for creating plan outlines and project designs for a specific business need. A CAD designer utilizes various technologies and software applications to generate graphic illustrations... Show more	$19-42
   Mechanical Designer	A mechanical designer is responsible for designing mechanical equipment and devices, together with the engineers and other technology professionals. Mechanical designers create layouts following the clients' specifications, perform structural analysis, and analyze dimensions to ensure quality... Show more	$22-39

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerPoint
   • Solidworks
   • Aided Design
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Revit
   • Technical Drawings
   • Shop Drawings
   • Design Drawings
   • Mechanical Drafting
   • Construction Drawings
   • Assembly Drawings
   • Design Software
   • Architectural Drawings
   • GD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage database and set projects against MEP, HSE, and ADA requirements.
   • Construct engineering drawings and visual aids for mold and fabricate wheel design using SolidWorks.
   • Create BOM for assemblies using ERP system.
   • Conduct site walk downs and sketch information require for design.
   • Generate and maintain BOM and provide sales and manufacturing drawings as needed.
   • Utilize SolidWorks to recreate medical devices drawing and perform testing on medical devices.

   More drafting internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your drafting internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A drafting internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, drafting interns' average salary in alabama is 39% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level drafting interns earn 48% less than senior-level drafting interns.
   • Certifications. A drafting internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a drafting internship's salary.

   Average drafting internship salary

   $42,284yearly

   $20.33 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level drafting internship salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average drafting internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$47,893	$23
   2	California	$47,172	$23
   3	Rhode Island	$45,436	$22
   4	New York	$44,502	$21
   5	Texas	$43,066	$21
   6	Hawaii	$43,042	$21
   7	Virginia	$42,530	$20
   8	Pennsylvania	$42,440	$20
   9	Kentucky	$42,045	$20
   10	Massachusetts	$41,724	$20
   11	Indiana	$41,623	$20
   12	North Carolina	$41,587	$20
   13	North Dakota	$41,086	$20
   14	South Carolina	$40,740	$20
   15	Connecticut	$40,606	$20
   16	Arizona	$40,463	$19
   17	Ohio	$40,061	$19
   18	Washington	$39,694	$19
   19	Oklahoma	$38,922	$19
   20	Wisconsin	$38,843	$19

   Average drafting internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Eversource Energy	$54,320	$26.12
   2	Black & Veatch	$49,636	$23.86	10
   3	Danfoss	$47,406	$22.79
   4	Modine Manufacturing	$46,604	$22.41	5
   5	Anheuser-Busch	$45,122	$21.69
   6	KGD Architecture	$41,654	$20.03
   7	Church Of Jesus Christ Inc	$41,222	$19.82
   8	Banner Engineering	$40,925	$19.68
   9	ITW	$40,346	$19.40	1
   10	Helix Electric	$39,312	$18.90	1

4. Writing a drafting internship job description

   A drafting internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a drafting internship job description:

   Drafting internship job description example

   The devices we make at SEL are embedded in the power grid. They prevent blackouts. They make outages safer and shorter in duration; they add cybersecurity, automation, and communication. They use cutting-edge technologies and operate at speeds that push other pieces of the grid to go faster. As a Designer Intern in Engineering Services, you'll provide solutions and services that help our customers protect and control critical electrical infrastructure and power systems worldwide.
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities1. Create detailed physical and electrical designs, bills of materials, and job estimates under the technical supervision of an engineer.2. Prepare CAD or Microstation drawings and other project documentation.3. Provide low-level engineering support to engineers and other support personnel within division.4. Complete assigned work within agreed upon schedule and budget to a high level of quality.5. Continuously identify, measure, and improve processes.6. Understand. Create. Simplify.7. Other duties as assigned.Required QualificationsCurrent student pursing a degree in EET, CAD, Drafting, or relevant discipline Demonstrated competence in CADD drafting (AutoCAD and/or Microstation) Strong writing, documentation, and speaking skills Ability to learn new skills and assume new responsibilities Ability to work cooperatively in team environment Background check results satisfactory to SELNegative drug test result(s) Preferred QualificationsExperience filing documentation Physical RequirementsNone
   
   This position is located in Lakewood, CO. Tucked against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and located just seven miles away from Denver, making Lakewood a perfect place to live and work. Enjoy an unmatched quality of life with easy access to outdoor recreation and great schools. Pay range: $15 - $18 per hour, depending on year in school.
   An Award Winning Company
   Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL) has earned a reputation for quality, reliability, integrity, and service. This has enabled us to expand within both the electric utility and industrial markets in many different industries, markets, and geographies around the world.
   
   Communication with Applicants
   SEL sends an initial e-mail response to all applicants at time of résumé or CV submittal. If you do not receive this communication, please check your SPAM filter and make sure your system is not blocking e-mails from SEL. It is important that you ensure your receipt of this e-mail as SEL may communicate future position updates via e-mail.
   
   SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/Vets/Disabled.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find drafting interns for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your drafting internship job on Zippia to find and attract quality drafting internship candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit drafting interns, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new drafting internship

   Once you have selected a candidate for the drafting internship position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new drafting internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a drafting internship?