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Design & planning

Architectural technician Green Job

Architectural technicians work closely with architectural teams on the design process of building projects.

Annual Salary

£18,000 to £40,000

Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

38 to 40 a week

You could work: evenings; occasionally

0.5%
Future employment

There will be 0.5% more Architectural technician jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

You could:

  • prepare technical information to plan projects
  • collect and read technical data
  • prepare plans using computer aided design (CAD) software
  • prepare applications for approval by regulatory bodies
  • develop specifications for building work
  • give technical advice to the project team
  • visit sites to check on progress

Working environment

You could work on a construction site or in an office.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
University

You can qualify as an architectural technician by taking a foundation degree or higher national diploma approved by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists. Subjects include:

  • architectural technology
  • built environment

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
For more information
College

You could do a college course, which could teach you some of the skills you'll need in this job. Examples include:

  • Level 3 Certificate in 3D Design
  • Level 3 Diploma in Built Environment Design

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
For more information
Apprenticeship

The following apprenticeships may be relevant to this role:

  • Level 3 Digital engineering technician
  • Level 4 Construction design and build technician

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
For more information
Work

Employers may take you on as a trainee if you have 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and 2 A levels, in subjects like maths, science, IT and technology.

They may accept equivalent qualifications in engineering or construction, for example the Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Constructing the Built Environment.

More information

Career tips

It can help if you've got experience in the construction industry and knowledge of computer-aided design.

Professional and industry bodies

When you've completed an approved course you can apply for associate membership of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists. This allows you to complete the professional qualification stage of your training.

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With experience you could work towards Associate or Affiliate membership of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.

With further training, you could work towards becoming an architectural technologist.

How does this job help to address the impacts of climate change and protect wildlife and nature in the West of England?

Architect technicians are needed to work with architectural teams on the design of new sustainable, low carbon domestic and commercial buildings in the West of England region.

Examples of post-16 courses you could study at local schools or colleges

  • Maths, Physics, Art & Design A-levels

Click here to find a local provider

Apprenticeships you may be able to take with local employers

  • Level 3 Digital engineering technician
  • Level 4 Construction design and build technician
  • Level 6 Architectural Assistant Apprenticeship

Click here to search for a local apprenticeship

Examples of post-18 courses you could study at local higher education providers

Click here to search for other university courses

For more information on the different routes you can take to get into working as an architect, take a look at the 'Routes into this job' section above. 

Click here for an explanation of the different course and apprenticeship levels.

Local employers 

  • Turner and Townsend
  • Ove Arup and Partners 

As an architect you could work for one of the many local architect firms in the West of England that are involved in the new sustainable building developments locally or for the regional office of a larger organisation.

For more local employment opportunities see the 'Live job vacancies by region' section above.

Click here to view a profile of Dr Tariq Umar, a lecturer in Project Construction Management at UWE Bristol Department of Architecture and the Built Environment.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • design skills and knowledge
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • knowledge of building and construction
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • knowledge of engineering science and technology
  • maths skills
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • knowledge of English language
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
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