Architecture is a career path that sees a person designing and planning buildings of every shape and size.
It’s among one of the highest-paying professions in the world, especially in an age where cities are growing a constant rate. Becoming an architect requires dedication and time, and a certain ability with spatial planning and mathematics.
For those that have dreamed of one day becoming an architect, this is what it takes to make it a lifelong career, including the necessary skills and what kind of education is needed.
The Types of Architect
While it may seem like a broad, sweeping career choice that has a person designing a wide range of buildings, there are actually a few different types available that are all worth specialising in, depending on the skills of the budding student. The most popular choices are as follows:
- Site architect
- Planning architect
- Design architect
- Technical architect
Getting A Degree
To become a recognised and licensed architect, one would need to acquire the correct bachelor’s degree. The options available can depend on the university and the country in question, but in general, an architectural degree can take up to 5 years to fully complete.
The person can expect to go through such courses including building systems, environmental planning, impact analysis, and project management schemes.
University will prepare the new architect for all the challenges that they may come across, but nothing is as good a teacher as experience. Universities can be expensive, so it may be worth playing some bingo Australia to afford the tuition fees.
Internship Programs
After a degree has been earned, the next step is to join a well-known internship program. There are usually more than a couple to choose from, and while they may offer varying experiences, they’re all designed to offer the same foundation. Most internship programs go for around three years and provide invaluable experience to those seeking to make a career.
In the United States, as an example, an internship can often consist of almost 6000 hours of work experience, which cover many of the topics that are offered in university. This is where the young architect can begin to understand what the work is all about, and which fields they should specialise in down the line.
Get A Licence
Most countries will require that a person first pass some kind of examination before they are able to obtain a license.
It’s important to keep in mind that an architect will be designing buildings that need to be as safe as possible for the inhabitants within, so ensuring that they have the proper education and qualifications is key to long-term success. Examinations are usually only offered if one has earned a bachelor’s degree and has completed their internship program successfully.