Daveskater
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Registered: 29th Apr 08
Location: Oxford, UK Drives: Jap wagon
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You're quite welcome! 
Simon's right there tbh, smaller companies ftw.
When you're only working with a few people then you don't get lost like he said. You also get included in jobs a lot more and will have more input. I thought I would be odd job boy for ages but after only about 3 or 4 months I had designed a couple of complete heating and domestic services systems on my own  And they weren't rubbish either 
Numberwang!
Originally posted by AlunJ
I like you Dave, you are a man of men
Originally Whatapp'd by Neo
Dave's maybe capable of a drive-by cuddle
Look at my pictures
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D-A-V-E-
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Registered: 2nd Mar 08
Location: Northern Ireland!
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Just school work experience in an architects practice...nothing too exciting lol Wouldn't mind getting part time work in one...but wasn't sure how it would work with being at uni all week and coming home at the weekends because surely they don't open on saturdays?
Any ideas?lol
[Edited on 09-09-2009 by D-A-V-E-]
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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Sorry what's the question?
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Carl Gillespie
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Registered: 15th Feb 08
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How would you guys recommend approaching the subject of getting some work experience in an architects?
My friend wrote a letters to all the practices in the area and was 100% unsucessful, which i found off putting.
I feel going straight into the practice with an example of some of my CAD work may be useful, but am unsure if this may interpreted as ''pushy,'' when im really not like that.
A bit of a lame question, but im interested to hear what might make you think...'hmm, it would be good to have this guy on board for a while.'
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Jules S
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Registered: 24th Dec 03
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Well, you are asking the right questions so thats a good start.
Does your local authority have an architects dept? if they do I'd start there. You probably wont want to stay in that sector (I did/do) but they will always have work and the tendancy to take on W.E peeps.
Cold calling is a difficult call......if you did that in my office I seriously doubt that anybody would have the time to see you, but you may be asked to leave a CV.
As far as a CV goes, send an e-mail and follow it up with letter and a CD of a PDF copy with CAD files if you want. I wouldn't send a paper copy as most places are trying to go paperless.
Also, I would really REALLY suggest you get some modelling experience (sketchup seems to be the present weapon of choice) as it will get you 100% more impact in terms of your usefulness and presentation. To put that into context, I've got two blokes working for me full time doing nothing but modelling for major planning applications.
Going back to my previous comments and others Re: salaries.
Depends what you consider 'well paid' really. I earn the same as an equivalent Architect because i bring more to the table in terms of job running. Equally a 'good' Architect will earn their fees by purely doing design work. Either way, unless you get to be a partner in a practice you won't get paid 'that' much.
Of the senior building professions Architects are relatively lowly paid. Money talks, and the people who handle money (Qs's) and the people who have a direct input in profit making/saving (project managers, contract planners, senior site staff) do invariably get paid more. 15 or so years ago the Architects used to run everything (Architect means chief engineer, if you didnt know) their role has now been diluted as managment structures become more complex and the LA planning routes become more torturous.
In my office the Architects are full time designers but more so full time information collators in order to put together the planning applications....sooooo much paperwork there as opposed to drawing/designing buildings = boring as fuck to me.
I still enjoy my job, as I'm pretty much doing what an Architect would have been doing 15 years ago. I have a major input into the design, as i give all/most of the technical input. I do all of the working drawings, and then I have the (dubious) pleasure of managing the construction phase when its being built. I say dubious, because it pretty bloody stressfull
/essay
It's difficult to sum up 20 years of Architectural experience in a few sentences 
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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At our place which as I've said is fairly small we get a large number of CVs everyday so a larger place will get hundreds every month I image so you've got to put a bit of effort into it. I'd say one thing is to write a letter. A lot harder to ignore / delete than an email.
What experience do you have already?
Before you write it find out who you should be writing to at the company, phone them before hand if the info isn't on their website and ask. Looks a million times better if it's addressed to somebody in particular rather than 'Sir/Madam' 'whom it may concern' etc.
Also do some research into the company, mention a couple of the projects they are working on which look interesting.
Most practices will be used to taking on students for placement work and most I imagine younger wokr experience ones too, so as long as you make it look like you are generally interested in getting some experience with them and your not jsut sending out a generic letter/email to everycompany you have found on google I reckon sooner or later you'll have some luck.
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Jules S
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Registered: 24th Dec 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Simon
At our place which as I've said is fairly small we get a large number of CVs everyday so a larger place will get hundreds every month I image so you've got to put a bit of effort into it. I'd say one thing is to write a letter. A lot harder to ignore / delete than an email.
What experience do you have already?
Before you write it find out who you should be writing to at the company, phone them before hand if the info isn't on their website and ask. Looks a million times better if it's addressed to somebody in particular rather than 'Sir/Madam' 'whom it may concern' etc.
Also do some research into the company, mention a couple of the projects they are working on which look interesting.
Most practices will be used to taking on students for placement work and most I imagine younger wokr experience ones too, so as long as you make it look like you are generally interested in getting some experience with them and your not jsut sending out a generic letter/email to everycompany you have found on google I reckon sooner or later you'll have some luck.
Good advice there ^^^^^
We get near zero cv's through the door....just shed loads of agency enquiries 
As you said, an e-mail will probably be deleted...however, if you include your name in the subject of the e-mail and follow it up with a letter/cv it gets more attention.
Phoning cold to get a contact name.....absodefinitely IME esp if you can discuss a current project. Its part of the job talking to absolute strangers. I doubt a day goes past when I dont talk to 10+ people I've never spoken too before. If you get a name on the letter at least it will get to the persons desk in question. Sir/madam in my place will get re-cycled.
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Carl Gillespie
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Registered: 15th Feb 08
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Thanks guys for loads of good advice and answering my questions. Cheers, its good to talk with somebody who has experience and is, more importantly, interested.
I have loads of experience using auto cad 07 and 09 alongside using sketch up heavily for a year in college doing various projects i have created as part of my course. I also have a city guilds in CAD, so am relativly clued up on that side of things compared to most 18 year olds.
On a good note, ive found a local company who'sdesign ''taste'' seems similar to mine and they use sketch up, by looking over previous design work on their website, plus they seem like quite a small team. They seem to do community centres, residential areas and domestic properties which mostly interests me.
Going to the local authority would be great, but we have no arhitects in the local authorities, but we do have building control where i went on work experience and loved for some reason - probably something to do with the impreza wrx sti i got to ride shot gun in...
Ideally this needs to happen in the next week as uni starts on the 21st, what do reckon my chances are?
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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Well, seeing that you have today and friday I suggest you get on the phones ha! I reckon if you can put everything said above into a phone call then you have a chance. You have a lot more experience than any work experience people we have ever had. Mention that, mention their projects and go for it. Not sure Building Control would be somewhere I'd want to work!
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Carl Gillespie
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Registered: 15th Feb 08
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Thanks pal, i think you're right, on the phone i go....
Building control was good, i strangely enjoyed going around inspecting buildings and stuff, because it included some building surveying too, but as i said, i think getting driven around in that impreza was the bit that 15 year old me enjoyed most! lol
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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Ha! Well apart from the scoob experiece, I imagine it would be ok for a short while but if you had wanted to go into something creative then that wouldn't be the route to take. Inspecting other peoples work all the time wouldn't be too rewarding I'd have thought
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sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
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Up where i work, some people in planning and building control take for ever to respond to calls, messages, letters. some NEVER answer their telephones or respond to emails. you get the impression they think they have more power than everyone else which they kinda do when it comes to developments etc but thats not what they are there for. Defo wouldnt go down that route at your age.
i wouldnt mind surveying buildings though. reporting on its conditions and stuff
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Carl Gillespie
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Registered: 15th Feb 08
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Yeh, i did like the idea of being a building surveyor at the beginning of my course two years ago, but there arent many building surveying jobs in Northern Ireland, its mainly quantity surveying over here, but i couldnt put up with number crunching all day long no matter how much money they get paid. Freaking take off sheets.....grrrrrrr!
Btw, not much joy so far on the calls front...no interest from anybody really.
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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What are you saying, making clear its, none paid work experience you are after? Also why are you talking to, secretary's or have you found out the names of the architects / directors and speaking to them?
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sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
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in this market condition, i would go directly to architects/directors offering to work alongside a more experienced person to gain a bit of background whilst studying. who knows if they are impressed they might even offer you a job. its better than nothing.
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sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
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^^ that being voluntry work.
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sigibbons
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Registered: 10th Feb 04
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quote:
Originally posted by Mad Moe
I was always going to end up in the building industry given the family I come from and always wanted to be an Architect however the points that Jules has made kept coming up time and time again when I was looking for advice and as a result I became complete disillusioned with persuing it as a career.
After wasting so time dabbling with accountancy I ended up going into Commercial Managment having completed my Quantity Surveying degree and now that I'm with a massive company I have the opportunity to study for an MSc Construction Project Managment which will hopefully allow me to get involved in some really large projects and from people I've spoken with the money is fantastic, I get to travel and still get the statisfaction of a job well done!
This is exactly what i'm doing, starting my Construction Management Degree in a couple of weeks but i'm working as a chippie still so its a part time course.
Who do you work for? I'm possibly looking to pursue a career in Construction Management in Australia.
[Edited on 10-09-2009 by sigibbons]
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mart08uk
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Registered: 10th Jan 08
Location: N/A
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quote:
Originally posted by antscorsa
im a product designer and sometimes wish i did architecture instead but it is a huge commitment that i wasnt ready for at the time!
good luck with it
Im studying pd at the moment, really good course just going into second year! dont want to thread hi-jack but hows it going for you? you done much towards your work outside uni?? 
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Carl Gillespie
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Registered: 15th Feb 08
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Alright guys.
As ive said before, thanks for all the input, but i have a quick update.
I tried calling alot of places cold and the answers were all the same, ''...we barely have enough work for ourselves, so you would simply be standing twiddling your thumbs if you were to come in...''
Fearing this was a 'fob off' i called down to see the other architects i hadnt called over the phone.
I started with the biggest in the area, who gave me the same story as above and told me that he was the buisiest, largest and most popular in town and that he was dead at the minute, so naturally, everywhere else would be too. Infact, he was currently laying people off as there is soo little work.
I just feel sorry for you guys who are out there at the minute, and i hope its busier where all of you are.
Thanks again, Carl.
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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Sorry to hear you've had no luck. A few months ago we went a little quieter. Last couple of months though things have gone crazy and we are having to pass some of our jobs to our other offices to do. I guess it's different areas though, Oxford is apparently going quite strongly in comparison to London. I'd give it another go at Christmas and see if you have any more luck.
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sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
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defo not an excuse. some places have closed offices thats how bad its gotten.
we work with a firm called HFM - Haliday fraser munro who have an office over in dublin as well. the office thats in edinburgh have 1 architect left.
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Carl Gillespie
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Registered: 15th Feb 08
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Im glad there not bull shitting me then.
It is quite slow here come to think of it, with some developments that started seemingly months ago getting left mid way through.
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Tiesto
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Registered: 6th Jun 02
Location: Hinckley, Leicestershire
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Work with architects on daily basis, work as civil engineer. I wouldn't want to be one, for all the reasons highlighted in Jules responses.
I have met quite a few architects that have moved into the construction side, money is alot better lower down.
Some architects are very stubborn and get angry if you give them a workable solution which alters their design! Most don't understand the concept of timescales either!
[Edited on 11-09-2009 by Tiesto]
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