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How do I get work experience in Revit?

magentasky

This is a serious question.  I graduated with my BArch two years ago and despite having taken classes in Revit and having completed school projects, prospective employers are not convinced!  I understand that working on school projects in Revit is VERY different than working on professional projects - unfortunately the offices I've been at the past few years did not use Revit.  I'm trying to convince my current boss to switch to Revit (so I can get some experience!) but it's a tough sell since he has a very small practice.  

I thought about taking the Revit Autodesk certification exam, but I have no idea whether I'm prepared for that or not.  I have not found any practice exams to gauge my skills.   Also, I'm not sure if a paper certification will make up for lack of experience.  

It's difficult to pick up freelance Revit work, as most freelance projects are on the smaller side and do not require BIM modeling.  

I've lost more than a few job opportunities because of this.  Because for some reason employers want ENTRY LEVEL associates to be proficient in EVERYTHING, and this is the ONE thing I'm lacking.  So what do I do?

 
Jun 25, 13 9:55 pm
backbay

why don't you try taking a set of drawings from the office and doing them over in revit in your spare time?  that'll give you the "work" experience (mostly) and then give you something to show prospective employers.  you can get trial and student versions and (gasp) pirated copies (honestly, i don't think its bad if your using it to learn because it'll help them with market penetration.  photoshop is easy for high schoolers to pirate for a reason... so they learn it, develop an interest, and then go on to use it professionally).

Jun 26, 13 8:40 pm  · 
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Beepbeep


Shit just do some projects over and show them. Revit is easy it's design ability that's hard. 


Jun 26, 13 11:23 pm  · 
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magentasky

backbay, thanks for the suggestion - I've been thinking about making a revit model of a project we did recently in the office.  hopefully that'll do the trick!

beepbeep, I agree 100%.  I don't know why these firms are making such a huge deal of Revit - when you know so many programs, learning another one is not that big of a deal.  Especially considering how I'm familiar with the program, I know I can quickly master it.  Revit seems to be yet another thing on an employer's "check list", which is unfortunate because  knowing revit does not make you a good designer.  

Jun 27, 13 12:37 am  · 
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Beepbeep

Also I feel it becomes one of these "check list" items due to the fact most of the employers the principles who do the interviewing do not know revit and think it is so hard to master. 

Jun 27, 13 8:41 am  · 
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gruen
Many firms cannot afford the time to train people properly or maybe don't even know how to use the program themselves. Same thing happened at the dawn of cad. And they don't need any more designers just guys who are immediately billable.
Jun 27, 13 8:47 am  · 
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mfrech

thanks for the comments above, i am in the exact same boat.  

Jun 27, 13 1:23 pm  · 
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s=r*(theta)

"Many firms cannot afford the time to train people properly or maybe don't even know how to use the program themselves. Same thing happened at the dawn of cad. And they don't need any more designers just guys who are immediately billable."

#TRUE

Jun 27, 13 2:30 pm  · 
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tm_ao

" I'm trying to convince my current boss to switch to Revit (so I can get some experience!) but it's a tough sell since he has a very small practice. "

Slow down..... There always going to be somethin lacking.

Also......

I'm sure your current employer would not appreciate it if you instituted Revit in the office so you could ......move on.

Jun 27, 13 8:48 pm  · 
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++ tm_ao

You want your boss to shell out big money to train you in software he doesn't use so you can get a better job? LOL

Jun 27, 13 11:42 pm  · 
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Aside from my school projects I took time during my internships to recreate some of the projects in Revit which I then showed to the principals. During my time there the office could not afford the software therefore I was working on trial version, but I'm glad to say that they have now made the switch and I eventually landed another job after presenting those projects I worked on "in Revit" 

Jun 28, 13 1:42 am  · 
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sprunt

For Revit work experience courses using live projects in an active Architectural studio go to 

http://www.sprunt-media.net/work-experience-autodesk-autocad-revit-bim-architecture-courses-london

Jul 31, 13 8:31 am  · 
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