I am a working architect from South Asia with 6 years in a job that pays very less. I only stayed this long because the work is good, I do sustainable projects with local materials and have been the only architect in this firm for long period of time. Wanted to get masters degree since long but couldn't get scholarship. I cant afford to pay for it.My knacks are for urban history , vernacular settlements and sustainable building practices. I don't want to study in my country. Education standard is very poor here .I love my subject and had immense passion when I first started working . Now I feel really stuck and don't know what I should do. Should I pursue Maters degree or apply for work in other places/countries??. If that's even possible...What could be the best career advise for me??
danbrannon
Jan 23, 23 7:46 pm
Move on. As quickly as you can. Architects are inherently underpaid, especially under someone else's wing. Either take matters into your own hands with an independent practice, or look into niches for urban history or sustainable building with reasonable salaries. There are opportunities out there, we just have to be bold enough to find them!!
Chad Miller
Jan 24, 23 4:06 pm
Care to give a few examples of those opportunities for the bold?
numberonerenzopianofan
Jan 24, 23 3:44 pm
If you are looking at moving to other countries it is also a very expensive endeavour. If your portfolio and experience is exceptional you may get some scholarships for M.Arch in other countries but really this depends on many factors and policies.
Globally, the easiest “higher-income” country to move to right now is Canada. M.Arch will still be very expensive as an international student though, and cost of living is very high. I’m not sure how easy it is to get scholarships as an international student in Canada either. Ultimately you would want to look at cheaper schools like University of Manitoba and University of Calgary.
kenchiku
Feb 11, 23 10:26 am
Just to add some numbers... cost of living is going to be a minimum $1500/mo in a place like Calgary or Manitoba and international tuition will be $20,000/yr or more. Looking at ~$40,000/yr to live and study in one of the cheaper areas of Canada.
Reassess your goals: Take the time to reflect on your goals and whether they are still relevant. Are they still meaningful to you? Do they still align with your values?
Take a break: If the pressure of a career crisis is getting too much, take a break. Spend some time away from work and do something that brings you joy. This can help you gain perspective and recharge your batteries.
abdelrahmanaly
Feb 10, 23 3:54 am
I may not be the best career advice person, but having been in academia, there are some outstanding scholarships offered by universities in Italy primarily, full ride. And Australia has some inclusive and partial scholarships (that you can mix if you are successful in applying). These would offer you the opportunity to study with little/no personal expense. And in many places with a bustling university you can also find chances to work part-time or to do freelance work modeling and rendering etc. And luckily with the global position of some of these countries, there are opportunities to continue staying as a graduate or through work-visa conversion and offering you a gateway to their local region.
I am a working architect from South Asia with 6 years in a job that pays very less. I only stayed this long because the work is good, I do sustainable projects with local materials and have been the only architect in this firm for long period of time. Wanted to get masters degree since long but couldn't get scholarship. I cant afford to pay for it.My knacks are for urban history , vernacular settlements and sustainable building practices. I don't want to study in my country. Education standard is very poor here .I love my subject and had immense passion when I first started working . Now I feel really stuck and don't know what I should do. Should I pursue Maters degree or apply for work in other places/countries??. If that's even possible...What could be the best career advise for me??
Move on. As quickly as you can. Architects are inherently underpaid, especially under someone else's wing. Either take matters into your own hands with an independent practice, or look into niches for urban history or sustainable building with reasonable salaries. There are opportunities out there, we just have to be bold enough to find them!!
Care to give a few examples of those opportunities for the bold?
If you are looking at moving to other countries it is also a very expensive endeavour. If your portfolio and experience is exceptional you may get some scholarships for M.Arch in other countries but really this depends on many factors and policies.
Globally, the easiest “higher-income” country to move to right now is Canada. M.Arch will still be very expensive as an international student though, and cost of living is very high. I’m not sure how easy it is to get scholarships as an international student in Canada either. Ultimately you would want to look at cheaper schools like University of Manitoba and University of Calgary.
Just to add some numbers... cost of living is going to be a minimum $1500/mo in a place like Calgary or Manitoba and international tuition will be $20,000/yr or more. Looking at ~$40,000/yr to live and study in one of the cheaper areas of Canada.
My career IS a crisis
https://www.uopeople.edu/
Reassess your goals: Take the time to reflect on your goals and whether they are still relevant. Are they still meaningful to you? Do they still align with your values?
Take a break: If the pressure of a career crisis is getting too much, take a break. Spend some time away from work and do something that brings you joy. This can help you gain perspective and recharge your batteries.
I may not be the best career advice person, but having been in academia, there are some outstanding scholarships offered by universities in Italy primarily, full ride. And Australia has some inclusive and partial scholarships (that you can mix if you are successful in applying). These would offer you the opportunity to study with little/no personal expense. And in many places with a bustling university you can also find chances to work part-time or to do freelance work modeling and rendering etc.
And luckily with the global position of some of these countries, there are opportunities to continue staying as a graduate or through work-visa conversion and offering you a gateway to their local region.
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