OSCA 312132: Building Designer
Creates concepts, designs and detailed documentation for buildings, renovations and extensions in consultation with builders, clients and consultants. This record sits in Building and Landscape Designers and Technicians. Related ANZSIC industry links are included for faster classification cross-checking. Skill level 2 is attached to this occupation record.
Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?
OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.
Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.
Official ANZSCO correspondence
Role overview
Creates concepts, designs and detailed documentation for buildings, renovations and extensions in consultation with builders, clients and consultants.
Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.
Occupation facts
- Skill level
- 2
- Major group
- 3 Technicians and Trades Workers
- Sub-major group
- 31 Building, Engineering, ICT and Scientific Technicians
- Minor group
- 312 Building and Construction Technicians
- Unit group
- 3121 Building and Landscape Designers and Technicians
Tasks
- Consults with builders, clients and consultants to understand design requirements and gather feedback on building designs
- Prepares initial design models for engineering and estimation purposes using BIM
- Takes measurements and dimensions, and performs other routine calculations for building or renovation design layouts
- Provides design recommendations to clients based on factors such as budget, building site constraints, and overall feasibility
- Produces architectural documentation for sketch design and to support applications to councils
- Prepares building designs, models, concepts and estimations using CAD, 3D modelling and BIM software
- Ensures building, renovation and extension designs comply with regulations and standards, and client, certifier and consultant requirements
Skill level guidance
Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.
How to use this occupation page
Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.
The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.
Related occupations
Industry context
Alternative titles
- Architectural Associate
- Architectural Draftsperson
Compare before choosing
Compare OSCA 312132 with related occupations
Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.
| Comparison point | Current code312132 Building Designer | 312131 Architectural Technician | 312133 Detailer Drafter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official role definition | Creates concepts, designs and detailed documentation for buildings, renovations and extensions in consultation with builders, clients and consultants. | Coordinates technical and design information, and monitors the technical progress of architectural projects. Assists with preparing building designs, regulatory applications and construction specifications. | Produces detailed plans, drawings and other documents based on architectural and engineering drawings using BIM for fabricators to manufacture and erect frames, columns, beams, braces and trusses used in residential, commercial and industrial buildings and infrastructure. |
| Skill level | Skill Level 2 | Skill Level 2 | Skill Level 2 |
| Key tasks |
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| Alternative titles |
| Not stated | Not stated |
Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.
Compliance risk score
4 of 4 factors passing
In this section
Frequently asked questions
What does OSCA 312132 do?
Building Designer is the current ABS occupation record used to describe a specific occupation. It sits in the OSCA hierarchy and carries skill-level context plus related titles and tasks.
How should I read the skill level?
The skill level tells you the educational or training depth that the ABS associates with the occupation. It is a classification signal, not a salary band or a qualification checklist on its own.
Why is industry context shown on an occupation page?
Industry context helps when the title is common or ambiguous. It shows where the occupation is typically employed so you can compare it with the right ANZSIC family.
Source and trust
- Official source
- ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
- Last reviewed
- 2026-04-17
This site is an independent reference resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the ABS, ATO or any Australian Government agency.
Please verify critical classification decisions with the official authority before using them for tax, payroll, licensing, immigration or compliance work.