Learn about a variety of paths you could follow after graduation.
Building Design Technician Training Program
Comprehensive training in AutoCAD, Revit, and the Ontario Building Code. Full preparation for BCIN exam. Get real experience with an 8-week work placement and graduate with a professional design portfolio.
What is a Building Design Technician?
Building design technicians play a crucial role in the design and building process. They take a general design concept and draft the building plans needed to bring it to life.
This process includes several important steps, including:
- Using AutoCAD software to develop 2D and 3D technical drawings and specifications
- Analyzing building codes, bylaws, space requirements, site requirements, and other technical documents and reports
- Preparing estimates of labour and materials costs
- Proposing creative solutions to technical design challenges
- Visiting a building site to take measurements for a renovation or new project
- Monitoring building progress to ensure the design concept is carried out correctly
- Completing administrative tasks at the office
- Applying for permits
Herzing College Building Design Technician Training Program
Herzing’s Building Design Technician training program is fast and effective. We are one of the only colleges in Ontario that offers a 12-month program with a work placement.
- 12-month diploma program (25 hours/week)
- 8-week work placement
- On-campus, online, and hybrid learning options
- Hands-on training in AutoCAD and Revit
- In-depth preparation for the Ontario Building Code (BCIN) exam
- Multiple program start dates throughout the year
- Financial assistance may be available for students who qualify
Career Outlook
There is steady demand for skilled building design technicians in Toronto. We are experiencing strong growth in the construction industry, for both new projects and the restoration of old buildings.
Graduates of this program will find employment opportunities at:
- Architecture firms
- Design firms
- Construction companies
There are many areas of specialization within the field of building design, including:
- Kitchen design
- Landscaping and decking
- Retail store and commercial design
- Industrial design
- Residential design (houses, condos, apartments)
Common job titles in this field include:
- Draft Person/Designer
- Building Planner
- Building Design Technician
- Interior/Exterior Designer
- Construction Designer
- CAD Technician
Who Hires Our Graduates?
Graduates of Herzing’s Building Design Technician training program have been hired by many leading companies in the GTA, including:
- National Home Renovations
- CAD Overflow
- Lowell Lo Design Inc.
- Zaneen
Study Topics
Key study topics for the Building Design Technician program include AutoCAD 2D and 3D, design fundamentals, building codes, and building information modelling using Revit.
Click to see a detailed description of courses.
Note: Graduates of the Building Design Technician diploma program, as non-architect designers, will be restricted to the preparation or provision of a design for construction, enlargement, or alteration of a building not more than three storeys and with a gross floor area not exceeding 600 square meters.
This course provides a conceptual understanding of standard systems and operations used in a building design office environment including an introduction to design presentations. Students will develop skills using Microsoft Application suite, specifically the focus will be on proficiency in the use of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. File management and keyboarding skills will also be covered in this course.
This course offers comprehensive hands-on training on design fundamentals, drafting standards, and provides students with the knowledge and skills required for creating and interpreting structural drawings.
This course offers comprehensive training in building information modelling. It will provide the student with knowledge of 2D and 3D drafting techniques using current industry software. Students will learn to create custom content using Revit platforms.
This course offers a comprehensive hands-on training on building design and drafting using AutoCAD software. It covers all functions and tools that have been introduced and provided in AutoCAD in order to upgrade and enhance student’s skills to prepare 2 Dimensional drawings
This course offers a comprehensive hands-on training on building design and drafting using AutoCAD® software. It covers all functions and tools that have been introduced and provided in AutoCAD® in order to upgrade and enhance student’s skills to prepare 3 Dimensional drawings.
Students learn and put into use fundamental building design principles. The process of design is discussed in detail including creating designs from start (concept development) to finish (final plan and 3D model). Students learn the basics of Project Management as it relates to building design, including strategies to present design concepts. Students create and manage their own Design Portfolio.
Become familiar with the Ontario building Code Act in preparation for the Building Code certification exam in your career field
The internship component of the program is the practical application of a student’s knowledge and skills in an industry environment. The industry shall be directly related to the students’ program of study. The internship requires full attendance working in the industry setting. The duration of the internship is eight weeks, during which the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 200 hours of work experience.
Instructors
InstructorsJacob Allderdice has experience working in architectural offices in New York City, St. John’s Newfoundland, and Toronto. He worked alongside notable U.S. architects Steven Holl and Edward Larrabee Barnes in New York, Beeton Sheppard and Steven Wiseman in St John’s, and William Hurst, Jerome Markson, Roberto Chiotti, and Gordon Ridgely in Toronto. He has experience in urban design with a focus on healthy communities and bicycle infrastructure, with designs for Chicago, Detroit, and across the GTA. He has a strong focus on sustainable and “green” design and holds LEED Accredited Professional status. He is widely known as a writer and critic of the contemporary scene in Canadian architecture.
He has experience as a teacher of architecture, urban design, and interior design dating back many years, including a position as Coordinator, Bachelor of Interior Design program at RCC Academy of Design (Toronto) and Mentor, Architectural Syllabus Program, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (offers a professional architectural diploma).
He teaches because he loves to see students reach their highest potential, whether that be working in an architectural or building design/construction firm, or finding their way on their own into some form of design practice. The Building Design Diploma Program at Herzing College allows for the widest variety of backgrounds and the widest array of possible futures of any design program out there, and does so along the fastest possible track.
Mr. Allderdice holds a Bachelor’s in English Literature from Reed College, Portland Oregon, and has a passion for writing and the careful expression of ideas and stories. For him, architecture is one of the highest–and most fundamental–forms of storytelling available to human beings.
What’s your story and what will you do with it?
Admission Requirements
What you need to get started.
- Minimum of a Canadian high school grade 12 or equivalent (Ontario high school diploma or equivalent) or a mature student (19 years of age or older and has been removed from full-time high school for minimum 2 years)
*Students applying as mature students must demonstrate appropriate levels of math, English literacy, comprehension and/or written skills to warrant success and completion of program - Pass an entrance test administered by Herzing College
- Be interviewed in detail regarding interest in the field
- Note: admission to some programs may include additional requirements
Tuition and Fees
Please click for information on program tuition and fees
Overview
RELATED DESIGN PROGRAMS:
CAMPUS
INDUSTRY
Design
PROGRAM LENGTH
12 Months (25 hours/week)
Includes 8 week work placement
LEARNING MODALITIES
On Campus, Online, Hybrid
EXPLORE CAREERS
TRY OUR CAREER EXPLORATION KIT
Our online kit takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style plus the training and positions you’re best suited for.
2022 Overall Graduate Employment Rate
88% of available Herzing College Toronto graduates were employed in a related field.
*statistics based on most recent available
Your Next Steps
Ready to learn more the Building Design Technician training program? It’s easy to get started. Choose from the following options:
- Fill out the form to ask questions via email
- Chat online with an Admissions Advisor to get your questions answered now
- Click Request Info to get started today!
Why Choose this Program?
Herzing’s Building Design Technician program is laser-focused on the skills employers want. This training is designed to get you job-ready fast. Here is why Herzing should be your first choice:
- 12-month accelerated program
- Get valuable experience with an intensive 8-week work placement
- In-depth training in AutoCAD and Revit
- Full preparation to challenge the BCIN exam
- Instructor is a licensed architect with decades of experience
- Study in small groups, where every student gets instructor support
- Graduate with a professional design portfolio
- Get access to the Herzing Open Education Program (HOEP), which lets you take additional courses after you graduate, tuition-free!
- Benefit from our dedicated career development team, who helps you create your resume, prepare for interviews, and apply for design/drafting jobs
- Friendly campus with students of all ages and backgrounds
