…what else can I do?

Has anyone gone from architecture to a field outside of the construction industry, without significant amounts of retraining? If so, to what?

I knew two architects, one is now a handyman specialising in period house features, thenithr is a programmer.

Mate became an art teacher

I have none of those skills lol.

I used to do it until the market crashed in the late 2000’s and I got made redundant. I now design lifts and love it. Lots of skills transferred over and lots of new ones to learn.

Teach?
Go solo?
Move to London and earn 50% more?

Haha Mikey, I am in the same boat. Only I am (was) an architect.

Cladding companies will probably be hiring now…

I am still pondering…. if I find anything I will let you know. We could always start a practice serving STW members, would probably be quite busy when you see all the construction related queries on here!

Haha it’s a deal.

Where i used to work around three quarters of the people producing architectural visualisations were from an architecture background. It’s not completely outside of construction but it’s far enough removed that it could be fun without abandoning all your existing skills.

whats with all the architects jumping ship? market picking up where we are, varied work, good money… move practice maybe?

If my practice is anything to go by the amount of things an Architect is expected to do is getting ridiculous: You have to be an expert in structural engineering, M&E, health and safety, project management, civil engineering, you have to be a marriage guidance counsellor, psychiatrist, whipping post, you are held responsible for poor workmanship on site, you take the heat for other people’s screw-ups, you have to be a QS, interior designer etc etc etc, and no one wants to pay for it.

Architecture is becoming a minefield.

Where i used to work around three quarters of the people producing architectural visualisations were from an architecture background. It’s not completely outside of construction but it’s far enough removed that it could be fun without abandoning all your existing skills.

Thanks. I’ve looked into that sort of work but I really don’t have the skills to do that: I’ve tried to push my current practice into doing more of that but they’re not interested.

If my practice is anything to go by the amount of things an Architect is expected to do is getting ridiculous: You have to be an expert in structural engineering, M&E, health and safety, project management, civil engineering, you have to be a marriage guidance counsellor, psychiatrist, whipping post, you are held responsible for poor workmanship on site, you take the heat for other people’s screw-ups, you have to be a QS, interior designer etc etc etc, and no one wants to pay for it.

Aside from having ‘architect’ in your job title is there anything in that list of demands that you actually feel you do quite well? or get particular satisfaction from? or that people are particularly grateful for. A lot of those things are jobs in their own right or a key position in a team regardless of what that team is doing – but nobody expects an H&S consultant or a Marriage Guidance councillor to also do the job of an architect so maybe there would be less mission creep. If you’re frustrated that lots of those responisibilies are things you don’t want – think about which of the roles you do appreciate doing or get appreciation from others for.

So in thinking about it you need to look for balance between what you want to do and what other people want you to do. Its as important to allow yourself to be pulled towards the roles that people naturally ask you to play as to push towards your own ambitions.

as a random suggestion though – I’ve worked with one or two former architects who now do the drafting for film sets turning concept art into construction drawings.

If you have experience with AutoCAD or Revit then you could consider becoming a software trainer / software consultant.

Fishcake

Hmmm there is that.

Mikey74 because all of those jobs you do is that why most architect’s practice are now just designers (students just out of uni) who haven’t a clue about construction and it’s all us sub-contractors who have to make those designs actually work in real practice and then get paid shit money for doing it

A friend left and became a very successful Architectural Photographer. Otherwise getting into tech side of Revit and BIM would pay very well and potentially less actual day to day Architecture stuff. Could be quite rewarding.

Don’t get me started on what they learn (or don’t learn) in architecture school these days.

Essentially, architecture is becoming a sideline for architects.

Otherwise getting into tech side of Revit and BIM would pay very well and potentially less actual day to day Architecture stuff

Thanks. It’s a good suggestion. I’m looking into that at the moment.

whats with all the architects jumping ship?

Stress, relatively poor pay (relative to doctors, lawyers, engineers etc), long hours and so on.

Stress, relatively poor pay (relative to doctors, lawyers, engineers etc), long hours and so on.

As well as the limited opportunities to actually architect [sic] these days.

Put it this way: I’ve spent the last two weeks sorting out a single Howdens kitchen for one Client and dealing with the outfall from another Client who refuses to choose finishes and sanitary ware and then wrote an email to a colleague accusing me of bigotry 😯

My back up plan is my photography but also would move into more BIM world. Get a lot out of helping people so would enjoy that. Often enough to know that it’s there if you want but sounds like you’re past that.

BIM is such a growth area and finding good people who actually know what they are doing is tough. Good people in these roles will out earn Architects from what I’ve seen. Suspect that won’t last forever though as more people skill up.

I don’t know: There’s still a CAD support market and AutoCAD has been out for decades, and I’d say BIM is a greater leap than going from a drawing board to AutoCAD.

Maybe look into offering your services as self employed architect. You chose your client base, style of architecture, to a degree workload, lifestyle, of course it can still be stressful but it’s usually on your own terms. It’s very rewarding. Good luck with which ever direction you chose.

I work for a Software company as a BIM consultant and mainly train Revit. We are always looking for experienced people, especially Revit/AutoCAD MEP, training and support. We have offices up and down the UK. I can pass on your CV if you were interested.

Cheers
Fishcake

BIM training would be the direction of take. I’ve been a visualiser, cad jockey and pm for years, the market has well and truly gone in viz, I’ve moved into construction.

The last three jobs I’ve worked on we’ve had to pick up the pieces where the architect has been rattling on about design intent yet structurally the designs don’t work in even a basic way.

Try maybe shoplifting or interiors but aim high end of the market

I studied architecture, failed to find gainful employment outside of London, became a tech teacher.

CAD stuff is all relevant, I get to flounce about the qualities of good design, kids are funny, it makes an architecture degree seem like a tea party.

In a few years I think I’ll retrain and do something else though, sustainable building technology appeals to me hugely.

I work for a Software company as a BIM consultant and mainly train Revit. We are always looking for experienced people, especially Revit/AutoCAD MEP, training and support. We have offices up and down the UK. I can pass on your CV if you were interested.

Cheers
Fishcake

Thank you for the offer. I’ll sort my stuff out and be in touch.

Maybe look into offering your services as self employed architect. You chose your client base, style of architecture, to a degree workload, lifestyle, of course it can still be stressful but it’s usually on your own terms. It’s very rewarding. Good luck with which ever direction you chose.

+1 this – Im getting my house in order so i can do this. At the end of the day you need
a computer
a room
insurance

figure out how much you need to make a living and spend the rest on you/kids. I know there will be weeks flat out but there will also be downtimes when i can just get out and play with my children

‘No one wants to pay for it’. Mikey you hit the nail on the head. The most important part of any building project and a lot of people really grudge the fees, and feel ‘my mate Bob’ can do the drawings for a quarter of the architects fees, and then they end up with an awful building, but could never admit that to themselves because a) they don’t know any better or b) the savings on the architect’s fees makes them feel too smug.
Yours
Disillusioned

Buy a building plot. Build one of your own designs. Sell it. Repeat.

Buy a building plot. Build one of your own designs. Sell it. Repeat.

That would require money.

Maybe look into offering your services as self employed architect

I’m not an architect, only a “senior” technician (although I pretty much do the role of an architect).

although I pretty much do the role of an architect

Choose the colour scheme?

Choose the colour scheme?

Bingo! 😆

Mikey I worked in the Middle East for a good while. Good technicians get paid very well out there. Have you ever considered a move?

I’d love to move abroad but I’ve never considered the Middle East. I’m not sure if I would.