CAD Designer / Drafter Certificate Program
Martinez Adult Education · Martinez, CA
- Cost
- $5,000
- Length
- 36 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 100%
Program names and program descriptions appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Occupation titles are translated where O*NET publishes a Spanish name. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 38
Small group — treat with caution
- Finished the program
- 57%Based on 23 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 100%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $5,600A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Shrinking -10%
California projects this job will shrink over the next ten years. Fewer openings may mean a harder search.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Related work California expects more of
The U.S. Department of Labor lists these as related to the job above, and California projects growth in them rather than decline. Related is not the same as interchangeable: the training, the licenses and the pay can all differ, and this program does not train for these. It is a place to start asking, not a recommendation.
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$83,963 · +10% · 15 programs here
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$89,836 · +5.4% · 6 programs here
- Commercial and Industrial Designers$103,591 · +1.9% · 3 programs here
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$165,013 · +0.5% · 3 programs here
Where California publishes a separate figure for Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Architectural and Civil Drafters
Job ads may call this: Draftsman · Draftsperson · Civil Drafter · Drafting Technician
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
- Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
- Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
- Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
What this pays in Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $64,969 | $83,987 | $132,509 |
| Across California | $51,245 | $78,662 | $117,808 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $78,662per yearOakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: $80,701
- Projected openings
- 10,740Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 940
- Projected change
- +7%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
Electrical and Electronics Drafters
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Drafter · Designer · Layout Designer · Staking Engineer
- 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.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- 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.
- Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
- Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.
What this pays in Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $56,663 | $87,047 | $156,164 |
| Across California | $52,037 | $80,502 | $150,920 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $80,502per yearOakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: $84,802
- Projected openings
- 2,120Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 240
- Projected change
- -10%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
Mechanical Drafters
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Drafter · Design Drafter · Product Designer · Project Designer
- Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment.
- Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
- Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines.
- Modify and revise designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Review and analyze specifications, sketches, drawings, ideas, and related data to assess factors affecting component designs and the procedures and instructions to be followed.
- Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to the materials.
- Design scale or full-size blueprints of specialty items, such as furniture and automobile body or chassis components.
- Compute mathematical formulas to develop and design detailed specifications for components or machinery, using computer-assisted equipment.
What this pays in Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | $71,230 | $101,063 | $126,477 |
| Across California | $51,605 | $84,820 | $131,748 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $84,820per yearOakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: $96,742
- Projected openings
- 3,040Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 350
- Projected change
- -5.1%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
Program details
This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.
The CAD Designer / Drafter Certificate Program provides training in Computer Aided Drafting. The course is open to all skill levels from beginning to experienced users desiring to update their skills. Topics include 2-dimensional drafting to advanced 3D modeling. Students complete portfolio projects to demonstrate competency and skills for employment in the fields of drafting, architectural, mechanical and industrial design, technical illustrations, graphic design, animation, and visualization.Target Occupations: Architectural, Engineering, Construction, Mechanical Design and Drafting, Graphic Design, Technical Illustration, 3D Modeling and Visualization. SEATS ARE LIMITED; FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. 15130212000006.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-09-18). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
Ask before you enroll, not after
The order the rules set out starts at the center rather than at the school. Before a center can find somebody eligible for training services it has to gather enough to decide, at a minimum through an interview, evaluation or assessment and career planning. Referring a person to the provider they have chosen and setting up the account both come after that, and both are the center's to do — the account is a payment agreement with the training provider, and it is the provider that is paid through it. So the call belongs before enrolling and before paying. Anyone who has already done either should still ask, and ask what it means for them.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
Concord America`s Job Center of California / East Bay WorksComprehensive center
Phone: 925-671-4500
4071 Port Chicago HighwaySuite 250Concord, CA 94520about 7.2 miles away
Hours: M-F 8:30 am-5:00 pm
Has a veterans' representative
America`s Job Center of California - VallejoComprehensive center
Phone: 707-648-4024
1440 Marin StreetVallejo, CA 94590about 10.7 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8am- 5:00 pm
Has a veterans' representative
RichmondWORKSComprehensive center
Phone: 510-307-8014
330 25th StreetEmployment and Training DepartmentRichmond, CA 94804about 11.1 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
At a comprehensive center all the required partner programs can be reached; an affiliate site offers some of them. Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →