As a recent graduate, gaining practical knowledge and experience is essential to building a successful career in architecture. While formal education provides a strong foundation in theory and design, practical experience allows young architects to develop their skills and apply their knowledge in real-world situations. It is important to understand that a recent graduate has a steep learning curve to climb once in an office. The value of hands-on experience in a firm is crucial for starting to tackle a life long career of learning and growing. Come in with an open mind, eagerness to learn and ask a large number of questions.
However, finding opportunities to gain hands-on experience and guidance can be challenging, especially in a hybrid work setting. That’s why it’s important for new architects to be proactive in seeking out opportunities and building their skills. We will explore 5 tips to help recent graduates gain practical knowledge and experience in architecture.
1
Look for opportunities to gain hands-on experience, such as internships, trade workshops, or volunteer work. It’s important to seek out opportunities that offer practical experience as it is the most active way to learn. Look for internships, volunteer work or entry-level positions that can help you gain the skills and knowledge necessary for success in your career. Don’t be afraid to look for internships outside an architectural firm. If you think you want to work on higher education projects, check out Universities to see if their facilities group is offering internships. Want to work on hospitals, they have an in-house facilities team as well. Want to learn more about constructability, schedule, and budget? Go work for a contractor! There are so many options that can still align with working for an architectural firm upon graduation. Some other options may include: real estate development company, developer, fabricator, carpenter, etc.
2
Seek out mentors or colleagues who can offer guidance and practical advice. It’s important to build relationships with experienced professionals in the industry who can offer guidance and advice. Seek out mentors or colleagues who can provide feedback on your work, offer tips on navigating the industry and share their experiences with you. Your universities AIAS chapter may have a program connecting you with AIA professionals in the area, or can help guide you to expand your network. This is a profession driven through networking, relationships, and connections. Regardless if that is finding a job or finding work for your firm. Best to start practicing early.
3
Be willing to take on new challenges and tasks outside of your comfort zone. This may be working on a new project or taking on additional responsibilities in your job Let’s be honest, you should get used to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. I mentioned the steep learning curve for young professionals, and that may be a challenge tackling new things every day that you’ve never done before. But gaining this practical knowledge and experience is important to be open to new challenges and opportunities. By pushing yourself out of your comfort zone you will grow and expand your knowledge base. If you are never working outside your comfort zone, what are you learning?
4
Reflect on your experiences and what you’ve learned from them. It can be amazing to look back and see the tasks or knowledge that you didn’t know just a few months ago. Reflection is an important part of the learning process. Consider what went well, what didn’t go well and what you could do differently in the future. From there you can learn to be faster, smarter, and more efficient the next go around. And before you know it, you’ll be teaching others how to do those tasks you just learned today.
5
Keep up with technological advancements and software programs that are commonly used in the industry. While in school I recommend students test out as many different architectural software programs as possible. Discover the software most used within architecture firms, and learn the programs or plug ins that can propel the architecture industry into the future. This can make you more marketable to potential employers and increase your efficiency and productivity on the job. Once out of school it can be harder to carve out time to learn a brand-new software program while juggling everything else a job entails.
Experience within an office can prior to graduation may be able to help you get a foot in the door and valuable experience to understand what you want for your first full time job. For a recent graduate, gaining practical knowledge whether within a firm or an adjacent profession like those listed in tip number one can help lay the foundation to discovering the architectural career path that aligns with your passions. It is important to remember that this is a continuous process, and that learning and growth are ongoing throughout one’s career. You will always be learning from others’ experiences but you will also have your own that will shape who you become.
Written by
Katelyn Rossier, AIA, NCARB, LSSBB
