I'll be a second year marketing student this fall, with plans to apply to grad school in architecture.
I don't have any background or connections in the field, so I thought it would be a good idea to apply for an internship next summer, or maybe even do something part-time during the school year.
What do you guys think?
I was also wondering what kind of things you would look for in hiring an intern. Grades? Volunteering? Good looks? What kind of previous work experience would help?
Intelligence. Humble. Willing to do the work even if its not glamorous. Thinks ahead and completes tasks and goes a bit beyond. Enthusiasm. Someone where I don't have to redo their work. Someone with design sense.
Ah, les grandes tetons. Les grandes tetons ne sont pas importantes si vous ne pouvez pas ... ah, vous deja savez le que je voudrais dire
The answer:
Work on connections while in school, for one. If you could do just one summer in an architectural office, for 2.5 to 3 months, that would be grand, because you will have chewed off the steepest part of the learning curve, which gets flatter, but far from flat, at about 6 months.
Graphic skills, both digital and manual. Technical skills to the extent possible by schooling. Tolerance for detail and tedium. Confidence without arrogance. Willingness to do work which is reasonably expected of an intern.
Even though I recognize that you're in booming Calgary (well, "booming" as much as a city possibly can during a recession), I find it hard to believe that there are many, or any, firms so desperate to hire interns that they would look outside the scope of students in architecture programs right now. Its great that you've got a path in mind that you want to take, but I don't really see how someone in their 2nd/3rd year of marketing would be able to make real contributions to an office in an architectural capacity (again, in this economy). Unless you were looking to get into a firm to work on marketing projects - is that what you mean? Even then, I get the impression that most firms have architecture students in the office who know a broad spectrum of graphic design software who can put out that type of material (this is becoming more common as a necessary skill in the studio). Sorry to have to give some tough love, but you need to be realistic about this. Canada has faired better than the US in this recession, but it's not THAT rosey.
Since the OP had asked about this switch before and now indicates a location of Calgary, what kind of reputation does Univ. of Calgary have for its 3 year M.Arch. in Alberta?
good luck finding a paid internship in architecture when you're in a different field and have next to none experience in this field. While interning as an architecture student, I know often times they won't even let an intern do certain tasks for fear that they'll do it wrong and create more work, headache for the team :P
Other than that, no harm in trying... Just look up architecture firms in the city of your choice, fire them an email :)
btw its so much easier if you have connections in this industry. I have worked along side highschool interns whose dad or uncle was in the firm
You're asking while doing your business studies? You might be able to get a job in the office, helping out with billing, data entry, working on marketing materials, and/or clerical work in a larger firm and on a part-time basis. I think the positions which resemble architectural intern positions will be reserved for those studying architecture, especially these days.
Jun 22, 13 10:23 pm ·
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What do you look for in an intern?
Hey guys,
I'll be a second year marketing student this fall, with plans to apply to grad school in architecture.
I don't have any background or connections in the field, so I thought it would be a good idea to apply for an internship next summer, or maybe even do something part-time during the school year.
What do you guys think?
I was also wondering what kind of things you would look for in hiring an intern. Grades? Volunteering? Good looks? What kind of previous work experience would help?
I'm in Calgary if that makes a difference.
Sorry its a lot of questions for one thread ^^
Big tits.
boobs
Big tits.
Ah, les grandes tetons. Les grandes tetons ne sont pas importantes si vous ne pouvez pas ... ah, vous deja savez le que je voudrais dire
The answer:
Work on connections while in school, for one. If you could do just one summer in an architectural office, for 2.5 to 3 months, that would be grand, because you will have chewed off the steepest part of the learning curve, which gets flatter, but far from flat, at about 6 months.
Graphic skills, both digital and manual. Technical skills to the extent possible by schooling. Tolerance for detail and tedium. Confidence without arrogance. Willingness to do work which is reasonably expected of an intern.
Even though I recognize that you're in booming Calgary (well, "booming" as much as a city possibly can during a recession), I find it hard to believe that there are many, or any, firms so desperate to hire interns that they would look outside the scope of students in architecture programs right now. Its great that you've got a path in mind that you want to take, but I don't really see how someone in their 2nd/3rd year of marketing would be able to make real contributions to an office in an architectural capacity (again, in this economy). Unless you were looking to get into a firm to work on marketing projects - is that what you mean? Even then, I get the impression that most firms have architecture students in the office who know a broad spectrum of graphic design software who can put out that type of material (this is becoming more common as a necessary skill in the studio). Sorry to have to give some tough love, but you need to be realistic about this. Canada has faired better than the US in this recession, but it's not THAT rosey.
Since the OP had asked about this switch before and now indicates a location of Calgary, what kind of reputation does Univ. of Calgary have for its 3 year M.Arch. in Alberta?
good luck finding a paid internship in architecture when you're in a different field and have next to none experience in this field. While interning as an architecture student, I know often times they won't even let an intern do certain tasks for fear that they'll do it wrong and create more work, headache for the team :P
Other than that, no harm in trying... Just look up architecture firms in the city of your choice, fire them an email :)
btw its so much easier if you have connections in this industry. I have worked along side highschool interns whose dad or uncle was in the firm
.
JoshuaRim:
You're asking while doing your business studies? You might be able to get a job in the office, helping out with billing, data entry, working on marketing materials, and/or clerical work in a larger firm and on a part-time basis. I think the positions which resemble architectural intern positions will be reserved for those studying architecture, especially these days.
Block this user
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