According to the Census, the number of architectural technicians rose by 13% between 2001 and 2006.

Number of architectural technicians in New Zealand
(2001, 2006)

Census	Number of architectural technicians
2001	3,735
2006	4,239
Source: Department of Labour, Jobs and Tertiary Education Indicator Tool.

Opportunities for architectural technicians affected by construction industry trends

Demand for architectural technicians is affected by trends in the construction industry.

• The number of new houses being built has been dropping since mid-2007, so there is less work for technicians on residential building projects.
• Building consents for non-residential projects, such as education and office buildings, rose by 10% between 2007 and 2008. This means demand for architectural technicians is greater on commercial rather than residential projects.

Architectural technicians work primarily for architecture or architectural draughting practices. They may also work for construction consultancies or start their own businesses.

Architectural technicians work throughout New Zealand, but most are in large cities and urban areas.

• Auckland (32%)
• Canterbury (13%)
• Wellington (11%)
• Waikato (9%)
• Bay of Plenty (7%).