On this careers in construction, meet Priya, an Architect at Mace. Anarchitect is a skilled professional who plans and designs buildings and generally plays a key role in their construction. Architects are highly trained in the art and science of building design. Since they bear responsibility for the safety of their buildings' occupants, architects must be professionally licensed.
1. Why did you choose your career path?
I have always loved being creative, but wanting that creativity to have a real-world impact. I felt being an architect can do that, because it’s solving challenges and sharing ideas and solutions to improve the buildings we use. It can be a thrilling experience seeing what has been put down on paper or on a computer drawing programme, to it then translating into a real entity. It makes me enjoy what I do even more to know those ideas can change the way we live, study, play etc.
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2. What did you study in school/university?
I studied both my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Architecture at the University of Kent in Canterbury. During my Masters, I also enrolled on a term abroad to the United States, specifically Virginia, and that was where I began my final year project. I pursued Art at school and considered it my favourite subject, so it certainly helped a lot when I wanted to take up Architecture as a university subject.
3. What certifications are associated with your career?
To become a qualified architect, the typical and most common route is split into three ‘Parts’. Part 1 is completion of a Bachelor’s degree, followed by a Year Out of employment. Part 2 is completion of a Master’s degree, followed by full-time employment after graduation. Part 3 is known as Postgraduate Diploma which is part time study while working full-time, and completion of this leads to becoming an architect. Nowadays, apprenticeships and other career progression routes have been introduced to shorten the amount of time it takes to become qualified.
4. What advice do you have for someone looking to purse this career path?
An architect has to learn to adapt very quickly and efficiently to what is around them. You need to be a people person, get on with your team as well as build a positive rapport with your clients. Be in the client’s shoes and try to imagine what their ideal building would be like. It can be a fast paced profession but as long as you manage your time well, never define it by how many hours you put in. Define it by finishing tasks to the best standard possible.