Internship is one of the most effective ways – not only for receiving a degree, but also for getting ready for a successful career. In some industries like architecture, internship programs are highly competitive – which became one of the reasons for us to prepare this article.
Read on to learn more about architectural internship.
Who is an architectural intern?
An architectural intern is a trained person who has the necessary skills, knowledge, and expertise to help in an architectural office before they have received their degree. They have not yet undertaken the required examination.
The internship is a necessary course undertaking that requires an individual to experience industrial training, which is entirely different from the theoretical training. Industrial training plays a critical role in helping individuals put into practice what they have been learning in lecture rooms.
Education Requirements
The primary education goal requirement for an architectural internship is a bachelor of architecture. All students who are pursuing this course in an accredited institution of higher learning are qualified to undertake an internship program that will be beneficial in their career. However, there are other categories of students that can be given an opportunity to pursue architectural internships in various organizations such as those pursuing diploma certificates in architecture and design. Most of the bachelor of architecture students that are required to attend internship programs are mostly in their final year.
Roles of an Architectural Intern
There are various roles that an architectural intern that can perform in the organization. One of the main tasks that individuals can play is practicing management. This includes practicing management practices such as supervising a few numbers of employees while at the same time overseeing small designs that the company is undertaking.
Management is an important role that all interns should learn so that they can be able to equip themselves with future skills. It will also assist them in harnessing their management skills which they can use later in their careers while in management roles.
An important item that an architectural intern needs is an architecture student portfolio which can help the intern showcase their ideas and the work that they have done so far. This will help the intern display to management that they are set on a course to become an amazing architect.
As an intern, the student will be required to perform some fundamental programming role such as feeding data into the system and analyzing such data to come up with sufficient information that can be used in making sound decisions. Interns should also be involved in performing minor design roles. The main architect might even bring the student around to learn with hands-on experience. If the student will be performing boundary surveys in their future, then it might be important to get exposed to that early on. This will prepare them to understand some of the challenges that senior architectures experience and the necessary skills that one has to incorporate to overcome these challenges.
How to Show Talents and Skills during Internship
When students are on their internship programs, they are required to impress their supervisors so that they can build their credibility and profile. This will help them to be considered in the future if an opportunity arises in the same company. Here are some of the methods that students can show their talents.
1. Project Management Skills
Project management skills are one of the most important talents and skills that students should show to their supervisors and future employers. They should show that they can manage projects and accomplish the expected goals of the project within the required period. This indicates that they can think critically, which enhances their portfolio and employability levels.
2. Project Planning and Design
Project planning and design is an essential practice that future architectures should understand. By showing that you have project planning and design skills as an intern, you portray to the future employers that you can be an essential piece in the company that will push the entity forward.
Future Employment Opportunities
1. Interior and Spatial Designer
With the necessary training and licensing, a qualified architecture can pursue a career in interior and spatial designers. This is a role that involves renovating and designing internal spaces of the buildings. Some of the roles include lighting, color schemes, fixtures and fittings, furnishings, and structural alterations.
2. Architectural Technologist
An architectural technologist is a qualified and experienced architect who has the capability of overseeing a project from its inception until the whole project is completed. This professional can also play a vital role in ensuring that plan an urban center.
Starting an Architectural Company
Architectural students should not only seek employment opportunities, but could go the extra mile and start their own companies. There are just a few requirements that are needed: registration, licensing and business permits.
The company can start by offering consultancy services in land survey, interior design, landscaping, and small building repairs. Later, the business will accumulate capital and start bidding for other large architectural projects such as building company premises and government facilities.
