Back when I was a kid we called this "industrial arts".

will_brown · on Oct 22, 2017

I was President of my high school’s Industrial Arts Club circa 2001. Until this comment I had never seen or heard anyone else use the term.

Since my graduation the school has closed down the wood shop and metal shop...and when my old teacher retires in the next couple years they will no longer offer drafting either (of course we lost our T-square desks my junior year for computers and autocad).

contingencies · on Oct 22, 2017

In Australian public high schools (finished 1999) at least in NSW (ie. Sydney) the drafting part was called Technical Drawing, a design theory (materials, etc.) part was called Design and Technology, and then there were separate classes for Woodwork and Metalwork. I used to really enjoy all of them, and aced Technical Drawing and Woodwork. Years later, after a 15 year career spanning various types of software all around the world, I find myself in China doing a hardware startup, and all of that Technical Drawing theory and machining experience has really come back to help! I can't thank Australia enough for a good public secondary education.