Become an Architectural Technician
Architectural technology involves either sketching or using a Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) system to prepare technical drawings that act as guidelines for construction workers. As an architectural technician, also called an architectural drafter, you play a vital role in creating and constructing new houses and commercial buildings. However, before you work on any projects, you must find out how to become an architectural technician and complete the requirements.
Steps
- Conduct research on businesses that hire architectural technicians. Make a list of the employers.
- Ask about what prospective employers want in the architectural technicians they hire.
- You should contact a hiring manager and ask questions about which schools they prefer their architectural technicians to graduate from and what type of degrees they require technicians to have.
- Contact those schools.
- Ask them about for information about teachers' qualifications, the kind of employment opportunities their students have after graduation and the instructional facilities they have.
- Understand the post secondary options available to you.
- Community colleges offer architectural drafting majors that take 2 years to complete. However, community colleges focus more on drafting theories than technical training. Also, you must take general education courses like economics and English.
- Technical institutes offer architectural drafting majors that take 2 years to finish. The technical institutes provide intensive training in the field. They provide little to no general education courses.
- Universities and 4-year colleges don't offer architectural drafting training. Instead, they offer useful courses in architecture and engineering. General education courses are required.
- Complete post secondary training.
- Apply to the college, technical institution or university and gain admission.
- Take classes and complete an internship in architectural technology. If the school doesn't require an internship, then find one on your own.
- Make sure you join college and professional architectural technology groups and societies. This way you can network and learn more about the field.
- Obtain an entry-level job. Entry-level architectural technician jobs require you to verify the specifications and details of plans, not actually drawing the plans.
- Advance to architectural technician. You can stay at the original firm or apply for another job with another employer.
Tips
- The American Design Drafting Association (ADDA) offers a professional certification for technicians. The certification involves passing a test about designs, architectural terms and technician concepts.
- Make sure you take courses such as Introduction to Drafting, Surveying and CADD.
- If you choose a technical institute, you're going to receive an associate's degree, diploma or certificate in architectural drafting.
Warnings
- The ADDA professional certification isn't required by employers, but shows you have the knowledge to do the job successfully.
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