Steel detailers may be employed by steel fabrication, engineering or drafting companies.
Structural steel work is largely dependent on new commercial and industrial construction. Detailers may work on projects anywhere in the world as they do not have to be physically located at a project site. While this increases employment opportunities, it may also pose global challenges such as differences in salary and higher job competition.
Experienced steel detailers can move into estimating, quality control or management positions. Or, they may be self-employed and operate their own steel detail drafting and design business.
Steel detailers are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 2253: Drafting technologists and technicians. In Alberta, 78% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
- Trends and events affecting overall employment, especially in the industries listed above
- Location in Alberta
- Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
- Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
- Size of the occupation
In Alberta, the 2253: Drafting technologists and technicians occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.6% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 136 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.