2 answers
Jackie
Student
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Why is it important to take internships before college?
I'm interested in architecture.
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2 answers
Sidharth Dugar
Data Science and AI
4
Answers
Jersey City, New Jersey
Updated
Sidharth’s Answer
Hey! Taking an internship before college is an amazing way to get a head start, especially in a hands-on field like architecture. Here is why it matters so much:
1. See the real day-to-day: You will quickly learn that architecture isn't just drawing cool buildings. It involves a lot of client meetings, building codes, budgets, and computer modeling. Seeing this early helps you decide if it is truly the right path for you.
2. Learn the software early: Architecture schools expect you to learn complex design tools fast. Getting exposed to industry standard software like AutoCAD, Revit, or Rhino during an internship gives you a massive technical advantage over your future classmates.
3. Build a portfolio: To get into a great university architecture program, you usually need a strong design portfolio. An internship gives you real-world sketches, 3D models, or project ideas to show admissions teams.
4. Start networking: The architecture world thrives on connections. Meeting licensed architects early on can open doors for future mentorships, college recommendations, and job offers down the road.
5. Find your true passion: Architecture has many different specialties, like residential homes, massive skyscrapers, sustainable green buildings, or interior design. An internship lets you try different things so you can see exactly which area excites you most and where you want to build your future career.
1. See the real day-to-day: You will quickly learn that architecture isn't just drawing cool buildings. It involves a lot of client meetings, building codes, budgets, and computer modeling. Seeing this early helps you decide if it is truly the right path for you.
2. Learn the software early: Architecture schools expect you to learn complex design tools fast. Getting exposed to industry standard software like AutoCAD, Revit, or Rhino during an internship gives you a massive technical advantage over your future classmates.
3. Build a portfolio: To get into a great university architecture program, you usually need a strong design portfolio. An internship gives you real-world sketches, 3D models, or project ideas to show admissions teams.
4. Start networking: The architecture world thrives on connections. Meeting licensed architects early on can open doors for future mentorships, college recommendations, and job offers down the road.
5. Find your true passion: Architecture has many different specialties, like residential homes, massive skyscrapers, sustainable green buildings, or interior design. An internship lets you try different things so you can see exactly which area excites you most and where you want to build your future career.
Mary Ann Faue
Communications, Training, and People Development
71
Answers
Hayward, California
Updated
Mary Ann’s Answer
Hi Jackie.
I'm not familiar with may internships that take place before college, but am familiar with internships that take place starting the summer between the sophomore and junior year of college. That being said, internships are a great way to be in the work environment and learn a lot of different things.
When in school, you learn a lot of things out of book but not so many things about how that knowledge is applied. So, an internship helps you to see how the things you learn in books get applied to real life. And, there are lots of things that happen at work that you can't learn in a book.
These are some things you might learn from an internship.
1. The different kinds of jobs that are available in an architecture firm and what each of those people do. You learn what their work day looks like and the ways they go about completing their job tasks.
2. You learn the language of the business. A lot of businesses use short-hand or acronyms when talking about things. When you first start a job, you'll notice people are using words and phrases that don't make much sense, but everybody seems to know what's going on. That's because they've developed their own short-hand. Every company does this. Being in the environment helps you to learn those things.
3. You get to try out different things and learn from experienced professionals (and they usually like to teach you stuff). Being an intern, you don't have a lot of experience and this is an opportunity to learn. You'll be assigned some tasks and you'll be assigned some people who can give you guidance as you build your skill. As you go through your day, you learn more and by the end of your internship, you'll likely be doing things without much guidance.
4. You learn where you know how to do things and you learn where you need more education. Applying what you learned helps to make the knowledge stick and you also find out where you need to learn more to be competent.
If you have the opportunity to be an intern at a company, look at it as a learning experience. Ask questions about what people do and how they started out in their career. Ask them what helped them to get where they are. You can learn a lot from other people's experience.
Goodluck!
I'm not familiar with may internships that take place before college, but am familiar with internships that take place starting the summer between the sophomore and junior year of college. That being said, internships are a great way to be in the work environment and learn a lot of different things.
When in school, you learn a lot of things out of book but not so many things about how that knowledge is applied. So, an internship helps you to see how the things you learn in books get applied to real life. And, there are lots of things that happen at work that you can't learn in a book.
These are some things you might learn from an internship.
1. The different kinds of jobs that are available in an architecture firm and what each of those people do. You learn what their work day looks like and the ways they go about completing their job tasks.
2. You learn the language of the business. A lot of businesses use short-hand or acronyms when talking about things. When you first start a job, you'll notice people are using words and phrases that don't make much sense, but everybody seems to know what's going on. That's because they've developed their own short-hand. Every company does this. Being in the environment helps you to learn those things.
3. You get to try out different things and learn from experienced professionals (and they usually like to teach you stuff). Being an intern, you don't have a lot of experience and this is an opportunity to learn. You'll be assigned some tasks and you'll be assigned some people who can give you guidance as you build your skill. As you go through your day, you learn more and by the end of your internship, you'll likely be doing things without much guidance.
4. You learn where you know how to do things and you learn where you need more education. Applying what you learned helps to make the knowledge stick and you also find out where you need to learn more to be competent.
If you have the opportunity to be an intern at a company, look at it as a learning experience. Ask questions about what people do and how they started out in their career. Ask them what helped them to get where they are. You can learn a lot from other people's experience.
Goodluck!