School/Career Advice please

[Skoldpadda]

Hello all.

I am in search of some advice from any architectural people out there. I am 32 yrs old and wanting to change careers. I originally wanted to be an architect when I was a kid but never followed through. Currently, my local community college offers an evening certificate program in Architectural CAD.

Here is the course listing...

1 - Fall Semester 2004

ARC 111
Introduction to Architectural Technology

ARC 112
Construction Materials and Methods

ARC 114
Architectural CAD

2 - Spring Semester 2005

ARC 113
Residential Architectural Technology

ARC 220
Advanced Architectural CAD

ARC 221
Advanced 3-D CAD


Now, I have a diploma in architectural drafting from eons ago, but no other former training in Architecture than that. My passion is definitely architecture but my fear is that I would be unable to land a job with just this certificate only and my age.

So, if anyone has any advice or insight into the industry, your opinion would be greatly appreciated!

[Hervé]

Dont be scared... or better be warned...

I am worse than you... I dont have anything related to architecture... I am older than you... and i have to admit... at a certain point , diplomas do count.... you could be as good as U want, but in this area (archi), (dunno about other fields though) people are very peeky when it comes to diplomas & qualification... and this is pretty normal...

I know a guy here in Luxembourg is working a lot, coz he did some sort of qualification "archviz with XSI" in Germany.... he gets all the job..; I dont.. :rolleyes:

So if U can (I am too old for that), try to have a minimum certifications... :D

[Hervé]

I forgot to tell U (as U are in the US...) that you should definitly go to these courses... nothing similar in old europe... besides, learning CAD programs will help you a lot...

Good luck ! ;)

[Skoldpadda]

Thanks for the advice Herve!

I have decided I will definately just go fo it! No need in wasting more time sitting on the fence, sink or swim time so to speak!

Thanks again!

[ddho1981]

This depends highly on what exactly you want to do in the architecture field. If you want to be a full-fledged architect, you basically need to get a professional degree to get licensed. But you don't necessarily need a license to design. And the requirements tend to be different state-to-state.

If you're looking to be mostly on the production side, the courses you're taking should be quite helpful.

Then there's varying types of architectural firms... those that do a lot of conceptual/theory-based design (Zaha Hadid, Asymptote, to some degree Frank Gehry). And others are very practical pragmatic and downright boring . . . which tend to be a lot of since it's hard to make your claim to fame. Then there's the ones that do really great stuff and are still rather practical which, my guess is takes a large body of knowledge like Renzo Piano, Miller-Hull, and Tadao Ando to name a few. Point being not all firms look for the same thing in a candidate.

Different universities sometimes cater to different levels of theory . . . like Cooper Union has some really off-the-wall stuff. Architecture tends to be very different in academia than it is in the real world in terms of the kinds of things you can do. Most of the stronger programs tend to be very very intense also. Hope that helps.

[ravantra]

My two cents on your decision:

I am an architect for Chicago and have been in the profession for 20 years. I have a friend who started when I did in the profession. He had just got laid off his job in the railroad and decided to take a course in a community college. He took on a part time job at an architectural firm just doing odd jobs. He approached the chief architect at the firm concerning his interest in architecture. The architect told him that he himself did not have a degree and yet had managed thru work and study to get his license. Well my friend encourage by this continued to work there and started doing simple drawings at first and then over the years took on bigger and bigger jobs. At the time he was 36 years old and today he is a licensed architect with his own business at the young age of 56. He also held a prestigious position at the University of Chicago Hospitals before he got his license.

So yes ANYTHING can be accomplished if you are so driven......Good luck!

Art

[Skoldpadda]

WOW! That is very encouraging indeed. I just want to thank everyone again for posting your opinions here, this is hands down the best community on the web! Thanks again!!