There are a lot of people finding it difficult at the moment. We know that a lot of graduates and early career architects are in a position where they cannot find employment and fear having a gap in the CV at a critical time when their career should be getting started. EmAGN has compiled some resources, tips and tricks and advice for early careers architects (and maybe others as well) who find themselves in a difficult spot at the moment.
The Australian Institute of Architects is always working to support members and resources can be found here; (we recommend the Lean In sessions! Look out for those that are EmAGN specific)
You can also check out recorded lectures, presentations and content on the Institute’s Youtube.
Support and advice
- Documentation skills. Employers value new staff that can jump straight onto projects. If you’re a new grab without prior experience, consider documenting a project you did at university from your technical classes.
- Did you know? That Lynda is available to you via the State Library QLD and is free for you to access. Lynda (also known as LinkedIn Learning) has a vast array of video tutorials, with a primary focus on software including Revit, ArchiCad, Rhino, Adobe and Sketchup. There are also tutorials on other skills such as marketing and business.
Queensland residents can get free access to the entire trove through the State Library of Queensland – become a member for free here.
Expand Education
A good architect is one knowledgeable about many things, not just architecture – expanding your knowledge is a valuable use of your time. There are many skills which look good on a CV, are valuable to potential employers and will prove valuable in your career. We see a lot of value in business and economics related degrees, and allied-design skills whether that be interior design, urban design, landscape architecture, graphic design, product design…
There are many education providers who have made courses available for free or at reduced rates.
Alison has a wide range courses available for free, also with a certificate available for free (whether this certificate means the same as one from Harvard is up for debate). They’re a bit hidden, but under Lifestyle>Arts and Craft category has some graphic design and Adobe courses.
This very short course on How to Draw a Dragon might be good for filling in some valuable time and will be a lovely addition to any portfolio, how you can apply it to your career more generally is up to you.
Written by EmAGN QLD