Maybe you are in the final semester of your degree and getting ready to step into the workforce – it’s common to find yourself confused and lost as you may not know what paths are available. I am the only one to pursue architecture in my family, so I didn’t know what direction I should be heading towards after graduation. You may be in a similar position. However, I’m happy to be sharing this subject with students who aren’t fully aware of the next steps of a post-graduate career. We discussed alternative careers to architecture in a previous article, but let’s breakdown a typical architecture career track from graduation and onwards!
A typical career path for someone in architecture follows the diagram below:
Student → Intern → Architectural Designer → Licensed Architect → Project Manager → Partner/Owner
It’s important to note that careers and titles are fluid and will change depending on your priorities, timing, and opportunities as they appear throughout your life.
Internships are important to supplement and complement your education curriculum! They provide hands-on experience of both design and practices of the architecture business. In fact, we recently shared 6 tips on how to stand out in internship applications! Internships are for everyone; bigger firms like OMA, BIG, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, etc., have internships for young professionals too.
Your internship could lead to a full-time position upon graduation! Make the most of your time working in an office – if you work hard and show growth, an employer will notice and may want to bring you onto the team fill time. If you are looking for opportunities elsewhere, make sure to take advantage of your school’s job posting board, career fairs, and co-op programs for potential opportunities. With a certain ongoing global event, these opportunities are now being brought entirely online. Check out our article on tips for networking online!
Typically, this is the first step towards your architectural career after graduating! There are countless terms to indicate new graduates in a professional setting, such as design professional, intern architect, or junior architect. Regardless of the title, make sure your role aligns with your qualifications! In your career’s early stages, you will begin to discover what you enjoy doing and develop specialized skills while possibly pursuing licensure or other certifications.
The practice of architecture has become more diverse and complex than ever before. Several new specializations have popped up over recent years, giving professionals a plethora of niches to explore. In your career, you will find and nurture your skill set that will help delineate your options within the architecture industry.
- BIM manager
- Visualization Specialist
- Parametric Designer
- Model Shop Manager
- CNC Operator
- Experience Designer
After achieving licensure, you can progress further as an architect unless you find yourself more fulfilled in project management. Although both roles have some common responsibilities, their overall objective is quite different. Licensed architect, project architect, and such titles are concerned with the project’s technical delivery; designing and drafting for schematic design, design development, and construction documentation. A Project Manager is responsible for the project’s overall execution, construction administration, and, most importantly, handling the client interaction between the owner, general contractor, and/or other parties involved.
As you begin to progress your architectural career to the highest level within a firm, it’s important to differentiate what type of partner, owner, or principal you’ll become. A firm’s partners are commonly divided between two main objectives; design and business development. In other words, one partner can focus on architectural design, while the other focuses on retaining clients and business operations. A prominent example of this duopoly is found at Herzog and De Meuron.
Beyond sole proprietorship, architecture firms are incorporated. When a firm grows to a large-scale corporation, the dynamic at the firm’s top-level changes. Looking at an architecture career long-term, you may find yourself in C-Level executive positions, such as CEO, CFO, CTO, etc., meaning your responsibilities may be more business-oriented and deal with a board of directors. However, you will always be an architect and designer at heart!
We hope this helps students who aren’t familiar with the business and structure of architectural practice. In the end, this is a generic career track of an architecture professional, so be receptive to unique opportunities and goals. Your career is ultimately in your hands!
Sharing is caring! We hope to provide you with valuable insights and share them with someone who might find this useful. Make sure to follow our Youtube and Instagram for more content!