Back in the middle 1970's, I had already taken drafting courses through the Naval education extension services while serving in the U.S. Navy. But very much like many young men, after my enlistment, my wife and I were building a family. I didn't have time to finish my education. There were mouths to feed, so I took what work I could find.
By the late 1980's we already had four children and the job I was working at the time just couldn't pay all the bills. I need a larger income. A friend of mine knew about my early education in drafting and suggested I try getting a drafting job which paid more money than I was making at my present job as a wrecker driver.
One day I was looking at a Popular Mechanics magazine and noticed an article for study at a home drafting courses called the North American School of Drafting. It looked promising and I desperately needed a refresher course in drafting. The article told me that I could pay as I go through the courses, so I signed up.
Before long, my package arrived in the mail. It included a drafting board, triangles, compass, protractor, mechanical pencil, eraser, french curve, pencil lead sharpening board, eraser shield, and a mechanical scale. Also included were my first two or three lessons. After sitting down to the lessons and drawing what was required of me, every bit of what I had learned while in the Navy came back to me. Within a couple of months, I was drawing like a professional. I created several different types of drawings, and put together a portfolio and resume that landing me a good paying job at a local surveyors office. This office also had connections with a couple of architects that hired me to work on their drawings in my spare time.
The point is that weather you have had previous training or not, home study is a good thing. I've owned my own drafting service since 1990 and have hired quite a few draftsmen. I even trained many of them myself. The courses here (House Plan Drafting) are the result of my training those drafters over the years. I've also created many other courses, which I modeled after the North American School Of Drafting. It seems they've shut their doors and closed up shop, but they are most certainly not forgotten.
You'll find my all courses at http://draftingschool.net/ and should you decide to enroll in any, or all of them, I'm sure you won't regret it!
In my high school years, I concentrated on vocational subjects as opposed to the academic subjects. I was able to do that because I attended a vocational high school (a concept that has gone the way of the dinosaurs). In my sophomore, junior and senior years I took architectural drafting and mechanical drawing courses. I loved working on the drafting tables and creating geometrical shapes and residential floor plans. This was back in 1964 to 1966 (a much simpler and happier time). As a result of my drafting background, I eventually became a technical writer. Now that I’m retired, I was delighted to find these online drafting courses. I discovered a new interest (or revitalized interest) in drafting again. I will use the board drafting courses for two reasons: 1) This will be a retirement hobby that I can enjoy in a leisurely manner, and 2) it will be a fun trip into a nostalgic world that I once loved.
Thank you for your kind comment Bob…
Thanks to north american school of drafting my first corresponding course it help me in reading blue print when i first join the navy one of my achievement
That i could mention showing off my diploma
Wow— I remember dad taking this course when I was a kid. I’d sit and watch him drawing for hours. Sometimes he’d teach me some of what he learned. Like Bob Hope used to sing— “Thanks For The Memories”.