EDUCATION

Design Competitions

There are various design competitions offered by independent organizations globally, with prompts ranging from doghouse designs to city planning. These short-term commitments allow for individuals to experiment with design styles, learn how to work with others as a team, and hone their technical skills. Participating in these competitions can open the door for scholarships, fellowships, and employment opportunities.

Camille Vigil talks about her experience collaborating with a colleague on a design competition:

“Since my teammate had several more years of work experience than I did, along with an education from abroad, working with him was a very impactful learning experience as he brought an expanded set of design and presentation styles to the table. This influenced our building proposal and the storytelling of our submission deliverables. We worked to meld and negotiate our design approaches without conceding to compromise, and our project eventually earned a spot as a finalist.”

Michael G. Meyers Design Competition

The Michael G. Meyers Design Competition (MGMC) is an annual design ideas contest for high school students in the Houston area. Students work over the course of 3-4 months to put together deliverables similar to a first-year architecture school project. A volunteer-led workshop, site visit, and interim review session are also offered for students to learn about design principles and to garner feedback on their submission. Volunteers on the committee include architects, designers, and university students from across the city. The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and select AIA chapters across the nation host comparable scholarship competitions for eligible high schoolers.

Brian Thompson, former Chair of the Michael G. Meyers Committee, explains the intent and benefits of the scholarship competition:

“Working with this program gave me the opportunity to tie all of the skills I learned in school to a genuine purpose that gives back to the future of the profession. I had no exposure to this industry prior to college, and the learning curve was steep. MGMC gives students the opportunity to think freely about architecture from their own perspectives and the ability to learn at their own pace. It is rewarding to see the positive impact this competition has on their journey into architectural design. ”

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Mentorship Programs

With mentor programs set up through workplaces, schools, and professional organizations, anyone can be a mentee or a mentor at any point in their career. One example is the ACE Mentor Program, which allows high schoolers to explore different career paths, while allowing mentors to learn from their industry peers.

Externships

An externship is a short-term learning experience intended for individuals to explore a career path or learn about a specific company. Often unpaid opportunities, externships can last anywhere from a day to a few weeks, and they mostly include observational activities that capture a snapshot of a firm’s culture and daily activities. Although externships are most commonly offered by some universities during school breaks, similar shadowing opportunities can be independently hosted by firms and organizations.

Rinika Prince recounts a memorable moment during her week-long externship:

“I was externing with a design firm in Boston that curated an experience for me by taking me to site visits, attending consultant meetings, and giving me small tasks over the week for their ongoing projects. The Principal, who also happened to be one of the board members at the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA), took me along for one of their board meetings. I was suddenly sitting in a room with Boston’s leading architects, and that to me was something I had never imagined to be a part of!”

Whether you are a student or a seasoned professional, learning is a constant. Universities and colleges can provide a framework for formal education, but there are diverse experiences available beyond the classroom.

In addition to design experience, find ways to dabble in adjacent disciplines. Habitat for Humanity relies on volunteer help to construct homes for families across the country. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hosts conferences covering building materials and technologies. There is no better way to explore what truly interests you than by immersing yourself in a variety of activities.

Internships

Internships are employment opportunities that allow for individuals to acquire hands-on experience with projects while familiarizing themselves with a specific workplace. Summer internships are most common, but these can translate into full-time job opportunities if the individual and company are the right fit for each other. Many universities offer formal experience programs for academic credit, but one can also find an internship through online postings, career fairs, or networking.

Alicia Chen describes her experience during her six-month academic internship at a design firm in Los Angeles:

Fellowships

Fellowships are merit-based awards given to individuals for a specific purpose, often intended to advance knowledge in a profession. Fellowships have varying awards; some provide funds for independent study or travel, while others provide work opportunities. Universities most commonly offer fellowship opportunities to students and faculty, but there are other institutions that award similar grants for research outside of a formal academic setting.

After studying architecture, Tian Tian was awarded a fellowship that resulted in a sustainability internship:

“My internship with Green Building United (GBU) was my very first job in the sustainability field. There, I participated in organizing a conference, received a chance to grasp the latest local practices, and communicated not only with architects, but all upstream and downstream professionals in green finance and education. This experience with GBU was so different from design work; it expanded my vision and provided an integrated preview of my career for me.”

“It was an impactful experience that gave me insight into how a firm operates, especially one that heavily prioritizes design. The firm's processes were highly collaborative, so much so that sometimes typical hierarchical staff responsibilities were not as rigid. I worked on a competition project and sometimes the design director would make physical study models alongside the interns, asking us for our opinions on their work. There was a sense of trust, morale, and commitment to high-quality work that cultivated an open and active design culture, which made me excited to come to work every day.”

Traveling Experiences

When possible, find moments to explore beyond your locality. There are short-term volunteering, research, and employment opportunities available across the world. These experiences allow for an exchange of cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives and can impact the way you design.