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I'm interested to find out about the career path of an architect, from the working person's view point.
I have been interested in learning carpentry, but since it is "physically hard work" and the market is slow stopping or nearly dead right now, it was recommended to me that I look into going to school to be an architect/draftsman. I've always been good with drawing (with practice) and designing, I'm a very visual person; however, I know there is much more to this career than just a few doodles.
So, here are some questions I have, and any additional $.02 you may have would be great
-First, what is the difference between a draftsman and architect???
-What type of schooling is best? How good of an option is technical/trade school?? I have ~40+ college credits, but they are mostly 'core' credits or credits towards my AA in Business Admin. There are community colleges, universities, and technical schools in my area.. but I'm eager to start work and would almost rather come back to finish my degree later.
-What type of course work comes with schooling?
-What are typical duties in the workforce?
-What do you hate (or dislike) and what do you love about your job?
-Is it easy to find work with this chosen career path, or any subcategory of it?
Welcome to the field! I will answer your questions to the best of my ability...
An architect designs the layout of buildings. An engineer designs a feasible project, and can determine if it is physically possible. A draftsman draws up plans using autocad-type software, typically, from written plans by an architect/engineer.
I would recommend a 4 year engineering/architectural school. What state are you in, if you don't mind me asking? If you want to be an architect/engineer, you need a 4 year bachelor's degree at least. If you want to be a draftsman, a trade school or 2 year degree will suit you.
Duties vary greatly, depending on specifically what you are doing. You use alot of what you learn in school. If you love money, this is not the field for you! I think Engineers are one of the most underrated/underpaid professions.
I like the idea of engineering, and the great deal of decision making. It makes you feel important! I don't like all the codes/provisions that are in effect today. These, esentially, make a 2 day job into a 2 year job! In turn, you will get to either love it or hate it. I would have loved to be an engineer in the 50's, especially in New York City. Today's engineering in NYC is all about rehab, almost 0% of construction is new construction! Buildings are a different story, but I work on highways. I hope this helps, and feel free to PM me any more questions!
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
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If you already have a 4-year degree then you would probably want to pursue the Masters program. You will doubtless have some prerequisites to satisfy, but it makes more sense than returning to school for 4 years.
Apart from that, architects are not compensated very well until they become a partner at a big firm or are successfully running their own business. Either way, there will be a lot of "slugging it out" in the trenches for about a teacher's salary. To some degree, I think architects are born rather than made. If this is a dream you've always had, go for it. If this is just an idea that you're kicking around or you just don't know what else to do, consider finding something else to pursue.
I started out on that route many years ago. Some comments-
I agree that architects are born rather than made.
-First, what is the difference between a draftsman and architect???
A few pay grades. A draftsman can sit in front of a computer and work within the parameters set out by the architect. The architect may start with the idea of a design, fight through the engineering to make it practical, fight through the desires of the client for something that fits what they want, fight through the regulations and paperwork, fight through the zoning, fight with the contractors, and eventually come up with a finished product that gets to be panned or lauded by critics.
-What type of schooling is best? How good of an option is technical/trade school??
I have ~40+ college credits, but they are mostly 'core' credits or credits towards my AA in Business Admin. There are community colleges, universities, and technical schools in my area.. but I'm eager to start work and would almost rather come back to finish my degree later.
Pay is partly based on the prestige of the school you attended. I went to Pratt in Brooklyn in preference to Rhode Island School of Design and a couple of others. You have to have a good core curriculum in art, and a strong math background. You need to nail calculus the first go 'round. Figure that a couple of years of your college might get credited, but even if more than that is allowed, it won't be very helpful.
-What type of course work comes with schooling?
Depends on the school. You'll likely get tossed some projects right off. At Pratt, each class got to redesign the primary classroom during the first week. Math and engineering might not have been as glitzy, but they counted for a ton of homework hours.
-What are typical duties in the workforce?
-What do you hate (or dislike) and what do you love about your job?
-Is it easy to find work with this chosen career path, or any subcategory of it?
Since I learned within the first year that it wasn't a fit for me, I can't comment too much, other than knowing that an apprenticeship of at least a couple of years would be expected on graduation, that successful architects tend to have enormous egos, great social skills and a talent for schmoozing the big money, and that appearance was everything.
The course that one sets has to be planned from early on. Even though the physical laws and the codes are consistent, there is a lot of different thought that goes into a skyscraper or public structure than a residence. If you waste your time during school learning how to make skyscrapers and end up designing residences, you'll be behind the curve.
Much of building today is so dictated by codes and common construction techniques that it tends to be cookie cutter or lego building. In business, I found that architectural engineers that could take a client design and clean it up into a useful code-compliant structure were more in demand than a full architectural firm. They might not have been paid as well, but they got work consistently.
If I was to turn back the clock and try the route again, I would have switched to interior design within the first month. That avoids the math, offers more opportunities for creativity, has better working conditions, and can earn a decent income with fewer years of college.
I may and yet another angle more related to the carpentry end you mentioned.
I use CAD 20/20 vision to design and draw kitchens, baths, libraries, offices, TV entertainment centers and a few other odd ball things all related to cabinets. My end is a very specialized part of design meaning I could not do the things the other posters can do with buildings and roads, only cabinets.
It really is a small part of my total job description. Which is a good thing. Who wants to sit in a chair all day without moving? Add sales, overseeing and at times actual hands on to my total day.
One huge complaint we have are with the new home builders. An Architect designs the house for the builder. The Architect knows the basics to design the kitchens and baths. So the builder, to save money, will let the Architect design the kitchens and baths also to save money even though the Architect knows very little about it. The builder should be hiring a certified kitchen designer CKD to do the cabinetry end. But builders are cheap, we all know that. May the homebuyer/customer be damned.
It's a nice field to be in. As an Architect or designer you get to be creative and in the end when people point and look at your work in awe then you feel real good.
I'm interested to find out about the career path of an architect, from the working person's view point.
I have been interested in learning carpentry, but since it is "physically hard work" and the market is slow stopping or nearly dead right now, it was recommended to me that I look into going to school to be an architect/draftsman. I've always been good with drawing (with practice) and designing, I'm a very visual person; however, I know there is much more to this career than just a few doodles.
So, here are some questions I have, and any additional $.02 you may have would be great
-First, what is the difference between a draftsman and architect???
-What type of schooling is best? How good of an option is technical/trade school?? I have ~40+ college credits, but they are mostly 'core' credits or credits towards my AA in Business Admin. There are community colleges, universities, and technical schools in my area.. but I'm eager to start work and would almost rather come back to finish my degree later.
-What type of course work comes with schooling?
-What are typical duties in the workforce?
-What do you hate (or dislike) and what do you love about your job?
-Is it easy to find work with this chosen career path, or any subcategory of it?
Thank you!
An acrhitect is a liscenced person, within the state they practice. You have a very extensive series of tests from your masters in Architecture to being liscensed, 60% of the students taking these tests fail, they are VERY hard.
in the classic sense the hierarchy would be as such. Architect - Comes up with the concepts and passes them on to.... Designer - Cleans up the Architects concept and works on smaller details. These are then passed on to the ..... Draftsman or (Draughtsman) These guys take the sketches from the Architects and Designers and set them to paper with lead. Follow the exact design of the above in the ladder. Construction documents would be created by these guys. They would then be passed onto the.... Tracer. This job position is long gone now. These guys would go over the final design with an ink pen to make it permanent on the mylar. With the inception of CAD, the tracer position is gone to history. The draftsman is merging with the Designer at a great rate leaving the Architect and the Designers as the two positions left (yes, many many places still have draftsman)
If you are interested in being a Draftsman, there is a different education path you can follow. Draftsman can take a two year education course at a tech school. You will learn the ins and outs of Architectural drafting. I would then take it one step forward and if they are available take a few courses on Construction techniques. Learn several programs that are being used such as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, Revit Architecture, and to a much lesser extent Microstation.
For becoming a licensed Architecture you will need a Masters in Architecture and then take the licensing tests. There are 6 of them ranging in Many different areas of the field. Once you get your license you can legally place the A.I.A by your name, and will receive a wet stamp from the state you practice in.
I am an Architectural Designer, I design residential projects, both small multi-family to very large custom homes. I LOVE doing what I do. The satisfaction of being able to make clients dreams come true makes any pains with dealing with the dirty work (permits, and city problems) worth while. What I don't like sometimes is the tedious task of doing structural details (yuk!!!) This is one reason why I do residential, less details lol... and 16 sheet sets instead of sheet sets into the 100's
Right now Residential Architecture is at a stopping point. No one is bringing on new staff, and some are starting to cut the fat so to speak. It is a waiting game, holding on until things get better.
I'm interested to find out about the career path of an architect, from the working person's view point.
I have been interested in learning carpentry, but since it is "physically hard work" and the market is slow stopping or nearly dead right now, it was recommended to me that I look into going to school to be an architect/draftsman. I've always been good with drawing (with practice) and designing, I'm a very visual person; however, I know there is much more to this career than just a few doodles.
So, here are some questions I have, and any additional $.02 you may have would be great
-First, what is the difference between a draftsman and architect???
-What type of schooling is best? How good of an option is technical/trade school?? I have ~40+ college credits, but they are mostly 'core' credits or credits towards my AA in Business Admin. There are community colleges, universities, and technical schools in my area.. but I'm eager to start work and would almost rather come back to finish my degree later.
-What type of course work comes with schooling?
-What are typical duties in the workforce?
-What do you hate (or dislike) and what do you love about your job?
-Is it easy to find work with this chosen career path, or any subcategory of it?
Thank you!
Note: reviving old thread that's still relevent to today.
There are several niche careers that concern architectural drafting & design that one may consider.
A recent article in Fine Homebuilding discusses the future of architecture and community planning. Of the ideas that prominent people in the field see a future for include, gentrification, co-housing, redesigning one's existing home for changing needs, and designing community clusters (urban villages).
Another, I would add, is the growing popularity of restoration and 'new old home' projects. Taunton Press is a publisher of a large number of books and several magazines which support traditional architecture and decorating. Taunton Press - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia There may be other publishers but it seems all the books I buy end up being a Taunton Press publication.
I think restoration and 'new old home' projects will become increasingly popular given the increasing frequency in which the architectural styles and interiors of these projects are being depicted in an increasing number of TV and movie sets.
The craftsman bungalow seems to be the most common on TV. Architects and designers that specialize in this style may find it to be a growing niche for business.
I'm interested to find out about the career path of an architect, from the working person's view point.
I have been interested in learning carpentry, but since it is "physically hard work" and the market is slow stopping or nearly dead right now, it was recommended to me that I look into going to school to be an architect/draftsman. I've always been good with drawing (with practice) and designing, I'm a very visual person; however, I know there is much more to this career than just a few doodles.
So, here are some questions I have, and any additional $.02 you may have would be great
-First, what is the difference between a draftsman and architect???
-What type of schooling is best? How good of an option is technical/trade school?? I have ~40+ college credits, but they are mostly 'core' credits or credits towards my AA in Business Admin. There are community colleges, universities, and technical schools in my area.. but I'm eager to start work and would almost rather come back to finish my degree later.
-What type of course work comes with schooling?
-What are typical duties in the workforce?
-What do you hate (or dislike) and what do you love about your job?
-Is it easy to find work with this chosen career path, or any subcategory of it?
Thank you!
1. A draftsman draws what he is given, often this is a sketch from the architect. But in addition he will have to follow the implications of that drawing thru to the other parts of the drawing set- a plan drawing will relate to a section thru the same area, for example. This is where a good draftsman shows him/herself- understanding the implications of what is being drawn. A seasoned draftsman will understand how things are made and can make the required drawings without direction. This is all computer drafting- moving towards 3D (revit) from 2D (autocad) OR illustrative drafting with programs such as sketchup, rhino, and photoshop.
An architect does the design work. He/she needs to think critically and creatively. He gets the low down from the client and makes proposals addressing the clients needs. He comes up with a concept and and plan for executing it. He has to coordinate with structural and mechanical and electrical engineers to make sure it all works. He has to make sure it fits the budget. He's on the hook for a lot of things. A young architect does a lot of the same things that a draftsman does, but expands as time goes on.
2. Schooling: draftsman can make do with a 2 year tradeschool certificate, architects need a degree from an accredited program. This is usually a 5 year path, although with some credits under your belt you can maybe cut that down to 4 or 4 1/2 years. Another route would be to get a 4 year degree in just about anything and then go for a masters in architecture with an additional 3 years or so. Architecture school is serious business and you have to be fully committed to it or you will not make it.
3. Coursework: I can only speak to the architecture school scenario. Accredited programs are pretty rigid meaning that there is little room for a lot of electives. There are required courses in history, structures (engineering), building systems, and design. Design is usually the center piece and is usually a studio course that meets for 3 to 4 hours, 3 days per week. Most of your nights will be spent working on your design studio asignments, which is usually a building design project of some type, although in the first couple of semesters it could focus on more abstract topics, like : " here is a collection of volumes and a field of gridpoints- now arrange them in composition." You might have a couple of design projects per semester.
4. Workforce duties- architects: well the first handfull of years there is a lot of drafting. This would also include presentation quality illustrations. Actual design work (conceptualizing) is usually done as well but in small amounts early on and usually on secondary parts of the building. Actually, conceptual design is a relatively small part of what even a seasoned architect does. You might say his/her primary role is as a coordinator. Communication skills are absolutely essential. See item 1 above.
Other day to day tasks include code research, attending and conducting meetings and then creating a record of the meeting (minutes), researching products, doing sustainability (LEED) analysis, getting on the construction site to do field observations, and writing proposals. Oh...and schmoozing potential clients- that comes later in ones career.
5. Hate: hands down the lack of job security. Any hiccup in the economy and the architects are the first to feel it. Figure on getting laid off sooner or later- plan for it. The other thing is that it doesn't pay as well as what people might think. Engineers make more.
Love: its always a challenge on every level: each project has a unique set of problems to solve. Its also cool to see something you worked hard on in 2D become somethjing that you can walk inside of.
6. Hard to answer in the teeth of a tight economy. Look on monster.com for "architect" and all you will find are computer programmers who are now referred to as "system architects". Look under draftsman and you will find a handfull of engineering or manufacturing related jobs. So yes, its hard. Also be aware of the fact that not all architectural offices hire draftsman. Many want their draftsmen to be architects in waiting. The larger firms do generally use a few draftsmen however. Construction and engineering companies hire more draftsmen. Have a look at "AECjobs.com" for some idea of the job description that are out there. Some business background may be a good way to set oneself apart from the rest of the aspiring architects. Architects are notoriously bad businessmen because they are by nature not usually numbers people.
An acrhitect is a liscenced person, within the state they practice. You have a very extensive series of tests from your masters in Architecture to being liscensed, 60% of the students taking these tests fail, they are VERY hard.
in the classic sense the hierarchy would be as such. Architect - Comes up with the concepts and passes them on to.... Designer - Cleans up the Architects concept and works on smaller details. These are then passed on to the ..... Draftsman or (Draughtsman) These guys take the sketches from the Architects and Designers and set them to paper with lead. Follow the exact design of the above in the ladder. Construction documents would be created by these guys. They would then be passed onto the.... Tracer. This job position is long gone now. These guys would go over the final design with an ink pen to make it permanent on the mylar. With the inception of CAD, the tracer position is gone to history. The draftsman is merging with the Designer at a great rate leaving the Architect and the Designers as the two positions left (yes, many many places still have draftsman)
If you are interested in being a Draftsman, there is a different education path you can follow. Draftsman can take a two year education course at a tech school. You will learn the ins and outs of Architectural drafting. I would then take it one step forward and if they are available take a few courses on Construction techniques. Learn several programs that are being used such as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, Revit Architecture, and to a much lesser extent Microstation.
For becoming a licensed Architecture you will need a Masters in Architecture and then take the licensing tests. There are 6 of them ranging in Many different areas of the field. Once you get your license you can legally place the A.I.A by your name, and will receive a wet stamp from the state you practice in.
I am an Architectural Designer, I design residential projects, both small multi-family to very large custom homes. I LOVE doing what I do. The satisfaction of being able to make clients dreams come true makes any pains with dealing with the dirty work (permits, and city problems) worth while. What I don't like sometimes is the tedious task of doing structural details (yuk!!!) This is one reason why I do residential, less details lol... and 16 sheet sets instead of sheet sets into the 100's
Right now Residential Architecture is at a stopping point. No one is bringing on new staff, and some are starting to cut the fat so to speak. It is a waiting game, holding on until things get better.
You don't need a master degree to be licensed. Most architects have a 5 year B. Arch degree. Otherwise I pretty much agree with your assessment.
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