Possible Career Path

John Quick
ITT Technical Institute

Possible career path

Abstract

I take a brief look at a career path option showing one of many possible outcomes after
graduation with an associates degree in drafting and design. I look at the jobs that can help
build skills that coincide with an architects duties, as well as an overview of said duties.
Architects create the buildings we live, work, shop, and play in. They serve an important role in
our growing communities and if I were to put the effort into becoming certified, I believe I could
have a secure career in helping others, and myself, create useful and artistic buildings.

Possible career path

To be completely honest I have never had the clearest image of a dream job, even now,
closing in on thirty years old, I am still very unclear. I do, however, know how I need to work in
order to succeed in a career field. I have always excelled at mathematics and critical thinking, I
am imaginative to an extent, and I tend to be incredibly organized. The biggest thing that drives
me is pleasing others, especially in a work environment. I also need, and I cannot stress it
enough, NEED rules and parameters for exactly what is expected of me for an end result. I am
not necessarily concerned with the money aspect of a career field, as long as I make enough
money to live and hopefully one day support a family. I am also concerned with helping to
sustain our own environment whilst still providing a stable future for our children and
predecessors. With these factors in mind, my strengths, and what I plan on furthering my
education in, the field of drafting and design, I have put together a logical idea for a career path,
or at the very least a few careers that utilize the same skill sets in an order that leads to a final
career that I feel I will enjoy, as well as be comfortable doing and excel at.
Ultimately my dream job as a child was to be an architect. To be able to draw out plans
for a building, have it finished, and be able to tell people that I did that! was what drove me.
Now, as an adult, Id want to create something that can go beyond the simple exclamation I did
that! to the question how did it help, what was its purpose? As an architect I want to design
green, or at least eco-friendly, corporate or residential structures; indoor and outdoor spaces that
can serve the standard purpose for the people within them and do it efficiently, with as little
impact to our environment as possible throughout the entire building processes and into the life
of the buildings. This path, however, will require a few large steps.

Possible career path

First, I obviously have to complete my associated degree in drafting and design, once
accomplished I plan to become a drafter. A drafter is exactly that, someone who takes the rough
drawings and ideas of engineers and designers and polishes them into a solid, final draft as a
technical drawing as well as in a number of CAD (computer aided drafting) programs.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay in 2012 for a drafter was an
adequate $49,630 per year plenty enough to live off of- , however, the job outlook grown was a
laughable 1%, so I feel this step may be the hardest to accomplish.
The next logical step in my journey would be to continue my education and attain a
bachelors degree in architecture. This would be the hardest step in my opinion as this would
entail 3 additional years of schooling. When finished, however, I can get an internship within an
established architecture firm. The typical route to an architect requires a 3 year internship
through which I would get first hand exposure to the design and construction of buildings
without being on my own. Working closely with an experienced architect will also help me
familiarize myself with the regular activities like blueprint reading and analysis, as well as
building planning, and safety. This internship is also valuable time to study and maintain a
working knowledge of regulations, building coding, and other information that will be pertinent
throughout my career.
Once I have finished my internship, where hopefully I spent my time designing industrial
and residential building plans, the best of which I can add to, and strengthen my portfolio further.
I hope to become an architect myself. This will require becoming licensed by taking the
Architect Registration Exam, a 4 to 6 hour exam testing your ability to perform architectural
activities; some states require you to continue your education to keep this certification.

Possible career path

Architects plan and help create the buildings we live, work, eat and shop in every day. It
is an architects job to meet with clients, utilizing good communication skills, estimate costs of
materials, as well as, equipment and construction time, prepare the plans including structural
specifications, and direct work done and follow through with making sure everything is
constructed according to the plans given. Architects also work to prepare legal contracts for
work, and manage contracts with construction crews. The median pay for an architect, according
to the BLS, is just under $80,000/year, thus no improvement from an industrial engineer, but I
feel that a career as an architect would be a better fit personally. The field of architecture is
always growing and evolving with new information and practices being presented every year,
this shows in the 17% projected growth in 2012.
All in all, a becoming an architect is incredibly demanding and requires years of
dedication, even after certification. I do, however, think it would be well worth the effort if this
particular career path is the one I strive for after my initial bachelors degree. With contributions
from others ideas, an architect can create beautiful, functional living works of art in which
people live, work and play.

Possible career path

Citations
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2014-15 Edition, Architects, retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-andengineering/architects.htm (visited September 30, 2014).