Case studies : Architectural officer: Liam

Liam completed a BSc Architectural Technology at Napier University and is now an architectural officer with South Lanarkshire Council.

I definitely feel my degree contributed to the success of my application and certainly put me ahead of any candidates with an education level up to HND.

During the Graduate Development Program at South Lanarkshire Council I was able to further develop the skills required in my working environment. Including, for example, carrying out functions such as presentations and meetings.

This gave me a firm knowledge base, and one on which I can continue to build through the years. The council is willing to send employees on any relevant or necessary training to ensure they are up to speed on all current regulations and design technology. I feel I have greatly benefited from this.

I undertake a range of roles in my job and regularly produce feasibility, sketch design, detail design and production information drawings, throughout the different stages of the projects I work on.

I chair design team meetings along with occasional presentations to clients and give walk-rounds on site. I also survey existing buildings if no drawings currently exist, or if I want to check existing drawings are correct. Email correspondence forms a large part of my duties and it is helpful in terms of keeping records of the queries that I deal with on a daily basis.

A key requirement for this job is good communication skills, as chairing meetings, presenting designs to clients/directors and liaising with the clients, design team and contractors is all part of the weekly routine.
 
Learning how to plan ahead, set achievable deadlines, and meet them, are all important aspects of the job. Having a good all-round knowledge of construction is paramount, as the architectural officer is the direct contact for all client, contractor and design team queries.
 
As design software is continually changing, the need to stay up to date and be proficient in the most current software is vital.
 
As a result of the current economic climate there have been several small changes to how the service is run as a whole but no noticeable changes to the way I work to date. I continue to progress with my current projects both at design stage and under construction with several projects in the pipeline. It is uncertain at this stage how or if the economic situation will impact on future projects.

My best advice is to join a specialist recruitment agency to increase the chances of finding work and to get in touch with as many employers as possible. Times are hard at the moment and I see people opting for further education, hoping things will be better at the end. It is important to ‘go the extra mile’ and you can demonstrate that through your degree results and by being pro-active during the summer breaks so there are no gaps in your CV. Preferably, finding relevant part-time employment in the field you are pursuing.