Architectural Technician
An architectural technician produces technical drawings, specifications, and construction documentation under the direction of architects or senior technicians.
What this job is
An architectural technician produces technical drawings, specifications, and construction documentation under the direction of architects or senior technicians. Working in architectural practices or building design offices, they translate design concepts into detailed working drawings, schedules, and specifications that guide construction, using CAD software and building information modelling (BIM) systems. They ensure compliance with the National Construction Code and Australian Standards relevant to building design and construction.
Are employers advertising this role?
Falling, down 10.2% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Produce detailed working drawings using CAD software (AutoCAD, Revit, or equivalent) from architect sketches and design concepts. Create and maintain building information models (BIM) across architectural, structural, and services disciplines. Prepare drawing schedules, door and window schedules, and finish specifications from design documentation. Develop technical specifications and performance requirements for materials, components, and finishes in accordance with Australian Standards. Verify compliance of drawings and specifications with the National Construction Code and relevant State or Territory building codes. Liaise with structural engineers, services engineers, and builders to resolve technical queries and coordinate drawing revisions. Prepare construction administration documentation including drawing amendments, site instruction clarifications, and defects schedules. Produce presentation drawings, perspectives, and 3D visualisations for client meetings and project planning.
Who does this now
About 600 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2)
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation were generally able to find suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a diploma, advanced diploma or associate degree (ABS skill level 2). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
You'll spend most days on repetitive, detailed CAD work under tight deadlines. Software changes constantly (Revit updates, new BIM standards), so you're always learning just to stay current. Site coordination can be frustrating when builders ignore your specs or architects change designs last-minute.
Where the jobs are
Smaller regional centres have fewer opportunities. Most positions are office-based in architecture firms or building design consultancies, with some remote work possible but less common than you'd think since you often need to attend site meetings and coordinate face-to-face with engineers and builders.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 3129, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
Skills
- Attention to Detailcore
- Check architectural drawings on sitecore
- Digital Literacycore
- Electronic Document Managementcore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Process Documentationcore
- Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
- Record Managementcore
- Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
- Report Writingcore
- Stakeholder Communicationcore
- Team Collaborationcore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Written Communicationcore
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Continuous Learning and Upskilling
- Correspondence Drafting
- Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency
- Negotiation
- Policy and Procedure Adherence
- Research and Analysis
- Risk Identification
- Verbal Communication
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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