Any architects? What is the qualification route for this career?

[wangle99]

DD is saying she wants to be an architect when she leaves school, she has been heading into the design route for a while and has settled on being interested in this.

What do you need to do career wise? A-levels? Uni?

DD is only in year 7 so appreciate that she has a long way to go but I am interested what you need to do!

Thanks

It is a long course (can't remember I did look into it 20+ yrs ago) 5 or 7 yrs? or something?

Lots of maths an ability to draw helps

7 years
is university based now, physics, maths art all good subjects

Talk her out of it. My brother is an architect and works 18hr days.

I think it is 5 years - 3 year degree and then further 2 year course - my ex-flatmate's BF did it and this is what I remember.

Okay - 7 years now.

bowdee your brother is working at the wrong practice then!

He always does it. Moves practice because of the long hours, and within 6months he's doing stupid hours again!
But he's a rich f*** for doing it.

hmmm
architects don't earn a great whack

or depends on what you see as a whack I suppose

I don't think architects are that badly paid, Hana. All the ones I've met are living in huge houses with privately educated children.

Depends what 'level' you're at within the practice, and the size of that practice. Same as accountants.

really? Know a few like that too but the vast majority aren't

Lincoln uni does courses in this I think.

Hmm had a feeling maths was going to be a big part, not her strong point, she is excellent on the drawing side.

Thank you for input though as really did not have any idea, cannot believe course is so long though gulp

7 YEARS

An alternative to becoming an architect is to train as an architectural techologist. You need to study to degree level, so in theory it takes 4 years.

Architects don't have to work in architects practices and aim to be partners. They can work for companies as salaried employers eg retailers designing shops.

dh is a partner
must be doing something wrong!

employees

My father is an architect - but he went the academic route and was head of one of the largest schools of architecture in the country for many years; certainly not great riches to be found there!

He would recommend Maths, Physics, Art, etc. It is a long course but 2 of the 7 years are in practice before getting your professional qualification at the end.

He worked very long hours when I was a child because he always maintained a private practice on the side, so was often off on site visits. We also spent our family holidays looking at housing estates in Denmark etc. At one point he worked for a local authority and that was very regular hours, my mum was furious when he gave that up!

We know a lot of architects, probably 100s, some of them are loaded - but most are just comfortable.

Thank you, possibly won't tell DD just yet she needs maths, has only just started doing physics but she didn't think she was going to like it. hmm.