I'm curious if there are any of you out there who have been out of the profession for a long time (since the great recession, to be exact) and have been able to or were even interested to come back to the profession. If so, what are the issues you faced?
I left the profession for several years while I started two businesses and a family, then returned. Have been back in (part time) for a little over a year. For me, it was good. Having a break was like taking a really long nap and waking up refreshed. I am not interested enough to go full time though, nor do I have time with businesses to help run and a kid to care for so I'm blazing my own trail. I don't think i really faced any issues, it has been entirely positive for me. What issues do you think you might encounter?
Wilma Buttfit
Oct 5, 16 11:46 am
Was thinking, I guess I'm behind where I should be in regards to some software, but that isn't that big of a deal.
c.k.
Oct 5, 16 1:00 pm
oh thanks tintt.
that's where I am too.I took a long 6 years nap. It was pleasant more than anything but I am thinking I miss the stress and the excitement haha. (I know there's very little excitement, you don't have to say it).
I think that I will never get licensed, that's the issue that I was mostly wondering about. I let IDP go to hell or whatever black hole it is now. on the plus side, I had managed to learn revit, circa 2008. I wonder if it's really that different now.
I guess time to build that portfolio again.
Wilma Buttfit
Oct 5, 16 1:22 pm
I had finished IDP already. I agree that is not ideal to have to pick that back up again. Sorry, that does suck. Many rules have changed though and you should look into them, for instance you can test without having IDP done.
thisisnotmyname
Oct 5, 16 4:40 pm
I would suggest you get back in with NCARB. Assuming you go to work in an accepted training setting, you can get it done. People are getting licensed really fast now; testing right out of school, done with the ARE within 3-4 years of graduation. The 1990s/2000's days of 7-10 year long internships are ending.
c.k.
Oct 5, 16 9:10 pm
Thanks thisisnotmyname. I will do that. I suppose that is what my question was, if this is a real liability. And I guess it is, and it's not worth coming back just to be s draftswoman for the rest of my life.
The other reason I let it all lapse was the fact that I was so traumatized by the recession, I never thought I would ever try to be an architect again and I was too broke anyway to pay to maintain the idp account.
accesskb
Oct 5, 16 9:18 pm
I've been out for 5 years myself.. The thought of working like a slave, getting laid off during recessions while barely surviving with bills was too stressful. I took a break with the intention of starting a side business that isn't related to architecture. Its slowly taking off and pays me really well for very little time I have to put into it.
With that, I'm thinking of transitioning back into architecture in 6 months to a year also now that I have a backup 'primary' income source. I think for me its just about getting familiar with Revit as that seems like a requirement these days. I wonder what potential employers will think about the time off.
c.k.
Oct 5, 16 9:48 pm
Oh, I don't think anyone will judge. I still have resentment about those days but I also understand that everyone was hurting.
the time was well spent for me, I was finally able to get a green card in a long winded way that would never have been possible by staying in architecture. And I learned new, different things.
My other concern is that the profession has changed because of the recession and probably not in a good way. This has probably been covered to death in other threads, but like I said, I was away.
long time no see. Very long time.
I'm curious if there are any of you out there who have been out of the profession for a long time (since the great recession, to be exact) and have been able to or were even interested to come back to the profession. If so, what are the issues you faced?
also, this is how I picture it
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk_sAHh9s08
I left the profession for several years while I started two businesses and a family, then returned. Have been back in (part time) for a little over a year. For me, it was good. Having a break was like taking a really long nap and waking up refreshed. I am not interested enough to go full time though, nor do I have time with businesses to help run and a kid to care for so I'm blazing my own trail. I don't think i really faced any issues, it has been entirely positive for me. What issues do you think you might encounter?
Was thinking, I guess I'm behind where I should be in regards to some software, but that isn't that big of a deal.
oh thanks tintt.
that's where I am too.I took a long 6 years nap. It was pleasant more than anything but I am thinking I miss the stress and the excitement haha. (I know there's very little excitement, you don't have to say it).
I think that I will never get licensed, that's the issue that I was mostly wondering about. I let IDP go to hell or whatever black hole it is now. on the plus side, I had managed to learn revit, circa 2008. I wonder if it's really that different now.
I guess time to build that portfolio again.
I had finished IDP already. I agree that is not ideal to have to pick that back up again. Sorry, that does suck. Many rules have changed though and you should look into them, for instance you can test without having IDP done.
I would suggest you get back in with NCARB. Assuming you go to work in an accepted training setting, you can get it done. People are getting licensed really fast now; testing right out of school, done with the ARE within 3-4 years of graduation. The 1990s/2000's days of 7-10 year long internships are ending.
Thanks thisisnotmyname. I will do that. I suppose that is what my question was, if this is a real liability. And I guess it is, and it's not worth coming back just to be s draftswoman for the rest of my life.
The other reason I let it all lapse was the fact that I was so traumatized by the recession, I never thought I would ever try to be an architect again and I was too broke anyway to pay to maintain the idp account.
I've been out for 5 years myself.. The thought of working like a slave, getting laid off during recessions while barely surviving with bills was too stressful. I took a break with the intention of starting a side business that isn't related to architecture. Its slowly taking off and pays me really well for very little time I have to put into it.
With that, I'm thinking of transitioning back into architecture in 6 months to a year also now that I have a backup 'primary' income source. I think for me its just about getting familiar with Revit as that seems like a requirement these days. I wonder what potential employers will think about the time off.
Oh, I don't think anyone will judge. I still have resentment about those days but I also understand that everyone was hurting.
the time was well spent for me, I was finally able to get a green card in a long winded way that would never have been possible by staying in architecture. And I learned new, different things.
My other concern is that the profession has changed because of the recession and probably not in a good way. This has probably been covered to death in other threads, but like I said, I was away.