DS is expressing interest in Architecture, can anyone tell me anything?

[Eve]

He's about to go IMO year 9, and anytime he's asked what he would like to do, it's be an Architect?

I know nothing about it.

What's the education requirements? Training? What universities offer it?

Any info would be a help.

All you need to know here...

www.architecture.com/

Careers cover a wide range - from designing public/statement buildings, caring for ancient buildings such as cathedrals (I have a relative who does this), designing house extensions, extensive remodelling of large dwellings and a great deal more. Fascinating subject but the profession has been very badly hit by the recession - not confined to this career of course but something to consider.

The training is long - 5 years studying and 2 years paid practical experience prior to full qualification.

Good luck to your DS!

It's a hugely competitive field - the best courses have c. 60 applicants per place - which should not discourage him if he is academically very bright.

If he's not a Straight-A-Student, something that not many people know about is a similar career path called "Architectural Technology". Architecture degrees are a combination of art and engineering, and are about training people to be able to conceive and design amazing buildings capturing and expressing the zeitgeist of their generation. Arichtectural technology is about learning how to design and build in a more practical and less artistic way - and is a lot more useful if what he actually is interested in is building houses for people to live in. It's like the difference between studying ceramics because you want to be the next Grayson Perry or studying ceramics because you want to work for Denby designing their dinner service ranges. Most architecture practices have a small number of fully qualified architects providing the leadership and artistic vision, and a larger number of architectural technologists doing the bread-and-butter work. Because Architecture is such a competitive field with a lot more people wanting to do it than there is actually needed by society, a lot of people who qualify as architects end up doing architectural technologist work anyway.

If this sounds interesting to him, he can have a look at www.ciat.org.uk/ where there are links to lists of degree courses where he can study this subject.

I have to politely disagree with chuggachuggachoochoo - I have worked in a number of architectural practices over the last 15 or so years and none at all use architectural technicians (the correct job title) in any number. The work at that level is carried out by the younger more recently qualified architects or architectural assistants, who are those that haven't completed their Part III (the final part of the qualification process after which they become registered Architects). The couple of actual architectural technicians I have worked with have actually found the job has hampered their career development in that they are unable to progress to managing projects, as you would if you were a 'proper' architect.

Training falls into three parts -Part I is uni based and is more about artistic talent and flair for design. After this you complete a years work experience in a practice before embarking on Part II which is a further two years at university. This is more learning how to interpret client and project briefs and Building Control regulations. Part III is completed over a year once you are working for a practice and usually involves a case study following a project to completion, while learning the project management and legal sides.

I would say 90% of architects these days work on 'bread and butter' work, the design and build stuff - there's very very few who are lucky enough to work on high profile architecturally significant buildings, most end up doing bog standard office refurbs. Many architects complain that they do minimal actual design and instead spend hours redrawing details like staircases and window frames while battling with planning departments and having their ideas rejected by cost control officers. It takes years to qualify fully (it's common to take at least 10 years, not many people are lucky enough to do all the different parts of qualification back to back) and because it's five full years at university the student loan debt you eventually graduate with is horrifying. Competition for employment at the high profile 'name' architects is unbelievable. The profession as a whole suffered terribly in the recession and very many architects were made redundant, and those that kept their jobs were given compulsory pay cuts or reduced hours. Wages generally for qualified architects are shockingly low compared to the other professions. Senior architects find that later in their career they become more about winning work and clients and business development rather than design work, which isn't really what they signed up for.

But it's a 'proper' job where (occasionally) you can use artistic and creative talent to forge a career, which is fairly rare I suppose.

Sorry my marathon post is wrong about technician being the correct title!

My understanding is second-hand from a friend who is an architectural technologist, so I'm happy to defer to zgaze who has first-hand experience if I have misunderstood anything!

The profession is in crisis ATM. Agree with zgaze. Unless he is absolutely obsessed with the idea I would dissuade him

DD1 was all set for architecture but changed her mind when the bottom fell out of the housing market and hasn't regretted doing something else completely (quite maths-heavy) while retaining the art component.

A cousin of mine who is a civil engineer and has worked in the home construction area for his entire career branched into green housing design a few years ago and is doing very well despite the poor economy. I would recommend civil eng as a more versatile (but maybe less creative) career path.

Don't most architects get paid about £12k a year? Not a lot of salary for an awful lot of study.

He's only in year 9 though. Few years left to decide?

I looked at it for one of ours and I didn't feel the salary and prospects at the end of all those years of studying made it worthwhile (unless someone really really wants to do it).

Thanks for all the input, as your said he's only year 9 and vaguely thinking ahead, useful to have the info to discuss with him.

He likes art... But not very arty iykwim, but good at drawing. He's also strong in Maths and science but dyslexic and struggles with humanities for his reason.

Civil engineering is a good suggestion, at this point in time it's to give him ideas/ suggestions.