Technical & professional
A career in technical support can be exciting and varied, covering a broad range of disciplines. For nearly every construction job there is a technical role. Technicians are valuable members of the team who support the work of engineers, architects, quantity surveyors etc.
Choose A Profession
Architectural technician
Entry Requirements
To train as an architectural technician you will need to have taken A Levels / Higher Grades or an equivalent BTEC. You will then progress on to HND/HNC Level, completing this vocational training with a college and through work experience. A HND/HNC within the Built Environment may qualify you for Associate membership of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), although you may need some additional units. From Associate membership, you can then work towards becoming a Technician member of the institute. While architectural technicians are respected as professionals in their own right, some later choose to progress and qualify as a Chartered Architectural Technologist. For more information visit http://www.ciat.org.uk/. Gaining and retaining appropriate qualification and membership of a professional institute shows that you are competent in that discipline to that level.
The benefits
Salaries range from £18,000 to £40,000. Generally, salaries in London are higher. Additional benefits may include access to continuous professional development and structured professional training as well as the opportunity to travel in the UK and overseas. For further information see professional institutions and industry press.
The job
Architectural technicians support architectural technologists, architects, engineers and surveyors and apply the technical plan and drawings to the real structure. You will help collect and organise technical information, prepare initial design proposals and assist with design stage risk assessments. You will also be liaising and negotiating with design and construction teams, as well as attending site visits and meetings.
The People
You will need to be able to work well in a team and have good organisational and communication skills, as you will be assisting various members of the team at different stages of the project. Your work will be mainly office based, using IT, communication and planning skills.
Want to see what a real architectural technician has to say?