What a long bloody road, ey!? If anyone told me I’d get to this point at the age of 18 when I decided this career path, I’d have laughed in their faces and told them to sod off.
Architecture is not for the faint hearted, that’s what I will say! It’s not for those who want to have the easy life, the going to bed early, the short career, the well paid firm life (they definitely lie and tell us at the beginning with this one) haha but it is fulfilling. It can be fulfilling, let me add! Especially when you apply your skills, what you enjoy and how you can identify within this industry. It’s a feeling that’s motivating and challenging and when you get to this point, it sure is relieving! I can definitely say that this career path has shaped me in so many ways!
Of course, as with anything it’s tiring, you know this system has been in place for a long time & it’s a system that has “worked” for a long time. We do the bachelors degree (Part 1), we do the Masters degree (Part 2), you want me to work too (the 2 year work experience) & you think okay that’s enough right!? Then the system slaps in place another course (Part 3) because the years you put in were just not enough!
So now to get to this point, the end of this long journey to now being told “welcome to the profession” or “Ahh the journeys just begun!”
No. It damn well hasn’t!
All of us who have done this road, the journey began years ago, even before we knew we wanted this, even down to deciding the courses and skills we had to enter this career path. So don’t tell me welcome haha! I have to say, speaking from someone has done the route, working in a big architectural international firm. This is the annoying thing about this profession. If you don’t think bigger, you can get into this bubble of thinking that now you have completed the last leg. That’s it. That’s the beginning of your career, that’s you starting again and annoyingly because those above you within architecture, have done this road before you. It can be very much brushed off or devalued because it’s something you just have to do in order to claim this title ‘architect’.
I call bullshit. You have to own that shit, it’s been hard, many don’t make it here because it’s so damn hard and long. You’ve done it, in any other industry people will say wow, you’ve done it all! So you enjoy it and really work out where you can apply your skill, your title and architecture in all you do.
So now people will ask or even I will ask myself: Was it worth it?
I cannot speak for everyone but YES. I feel it was worth it for me. The sleepless nights, the challenges, the learning, the wondering if you’ve done enough! All makes sense to get to this point & a great sense of accomplishment. Would I have done it again? No because it’s far too long yet I’ve been fortunate to not have been forced on this road, (especially coming from a Nigerian household) You’d assume I would have been but everything I have done has been out of my own will, my own choice & decisions. So now, getting to this point is for me is simply completing what I set out to do.
Realistically, I know this isn’t the case for everyone and to be honest completing it actually may not make the slightest of difference. (It’s sure not necessarily a big one when it comes to a salary increase within firm life!) & There is definitely a long way to go to make becoming an architect a more shorter and more concise journey. However, I do believe that whether you did the full journey or Part 1. You’ve learned key skills and worked out what works for you that’s including the deciding not to pursue this path. My hope is that because I did take this path, i want to aid others that are doing the same, on how it can be done & will share the things I would have done differently (so stay tuned for further posts on that!) I also do hope the industry overall makes better steps to make this career path easier because at the end of the day those that pursue architecture, make architecture!
As I make the next transition into a new role, office and away from firm life. I feel it making sense, it’s all been for a purpose and I can only believe it will continue too and I’ll have fun doing it!
So yes, I’m finally an architect, who’s damn well gonna scream about it.
Love, Your Writer,
N x
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