How to become an architectural technologist or technician
Official title: Architectural technologists and technicians
Also called: Architectural assistant, Architectural technician, Architectural technologist, Registered building technician, Architectural design technician, Registered building technologist, Architectural design technologist, Residential buildings technologist
Architectural technologists and technicians may work independently or provide technical assistance to professional architects and civil design engineers in conducting research, preparing drawings, architectural models, specifications and contracts and in supervising construction projects. They are employed by architectural and construction firms, and governments.
Main tasks
- Assist in the development of architectural designs
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space requirements, site requirements and other technical documents and reports
- Prepare manual and CAD (computer-assisted design) drawings, specifications, cost estimates and listings of quantities of material from conceptual drawings and instructions
- Construct architectural and display models, and 3-D virtual models of architectural designs
- Prepare contract and bidding documents
- May supervise drafters, technicians and technologists on the architectural team
- May supervise construction projects and coordinate, monitor and inspect work done by others
How to become one
Completion of a two- to three-year college program in architectural technology or a related subject is usually required. Certification in architectural technology or in a related field through provincial associations of architectural or engineering/applied science technologists and technicians may be required by employers. A period of supervised work experience, usually two years, is required before certification. Membership in the provincial regulatory body is mandatory in British Columbia. In Quebec, membership in the regulatory body for professional technologists is required to use the title "Professional Technologist."
Ways in
- College or CEGEP: College or CEGEP program. 54% of workers hold a college or other non-degree diploma (Census 2021). Common fields: Architectural sciences and technology; Architecture; Design and applied arts.
- Licence or registration: Membership in the provincial regulatory body is mandatory in British Columbia. In Quebec, membership in the regulatory body for professional technologists is required to use the title "Professional Technologist."
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $58,695 a year
- About 9,300 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 10,000 are projected by 2033. (+7.5%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Industrial designers
- Drafting technologists and technicians
- Land survey technologists and technicians
- Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology
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Questions people ask
How do I become an architectural technologist or technician?
Completion of a two- to three-year college program in architectural technology or a related subject is usually required. Certification in architectural technology or in a related field through provincial associations of architectural or engineering/applied science technologists and technicians may be required by employers. A period of supervised work experience, usually two years, is required before certification. Membership in the provincial regulatory body is mandatory in British Columbia. In Quebec, membership in the regulatory body for professional technologists is required to use the title "Professional Technologist."
How much does an architectural technologist or technician earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $58,695 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)).
Is an architectural technologist or technician a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 8% by 2033, from about 9,300 to about 10,000 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become an architectural technologist or technician?
Not always. 38% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: College or CEGEP program.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03