[Closed] Architectural Technicians: How did you escape?

Why not finish the geology degree, and go into environmental surveying? Aren’t you in BC? There must be loads of possibilities out there for someone with a geology background!

Mikey, if you are based in/around Vancouver there are several hundred junior mining companies and consulting groups which require people with 3D modelling and GIS skills for mineral exploration and mine design. If that is something that interests you, it sounds like you are halfway there. What’s more, UBC and Simon Fraser both have good courses in earth sciences.

You may find opportunities with a mining company. You'd probably have to relocate so it may not be an option for you. Look at jobs in Yukon. This may not be the best time of year with summer coming to an end.

I am not an architectural tech, geologist or a miner.

Get in to open cast mining. The best one is Bauxite (aluminium). Travel the world and never go under ground and get paid well. I did an enjoyed it but now a project manager on HS2 for one of the largest civil engineering/construction companies and much prefer it. In your view what's wrong with construction ?

I love doing 3D cad work (I primarily use Revit, but have also used 3DS, VRay, Enscape etc) but I really dislike the construction industry these days.

I would suggest computer games but your age is against you and most companies discriminate.

Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I'm in Vancouver.

I have considered mining, and possibly mine remediation, but I'm a bit wary of a "out of the frying pan, into the fire"-type situation.

I would suggest computer games but your age is against you and most companies discriminate.

Similarly, I'd quite like to focus on architectural visualisation, but that's an industry that suffers from the same issues, as well as out-sourcing to India and the far-East.

I was a cad technician for about 8 yrs, a job I kinda fell into after a furniture design degree, and 4or5yrs of designing one of a kind shopfitting for department stores.

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">The architectural practice I worked for specialised in retail (big High Street clients). I realised pretty quick that there was only a certain level within the practice I would reach without some serious new qualification, but it saw me as employed through the financial crisis. I started to apply for other jobs and ended up getting a job with an ex client as a project manager / designer, (large national supermarket / convince food retailer). It was a much better job, and much much better pay. i did that for 5yrs until it became very stressful and corporate, ended up leaving and now own my own / run business with the wife.</span>

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;"> I earn less now than I did as a technician but I'm a hell of alot happier!</span>

What type of business?

Village shop and Postoffice - so the front end of retail rather than the behind the scenes stuff.

The wife was running the shop full time as my job was becoming increasingly pressurised. To the point where I just said 'f it, I don't need to do this'. That was 2yrs ago.

TBH I quite enjoyed the arch tech work when I did it, but that was mainly because of the office banter etc. The job it self I could see would lead no where 35k max? I was lucky I had such specialised experience in retail as there are jobs I could move I to internally with retailers.

Unfortunately, that's not an option I have, but glad it worked out for you.

Have you thought of changing practice, a bit of a change in the type of work might reignite your enjoyment of the work? Or do you want a career change?

I did that as a result of moving countries.

Bump! Further suggestions/anecdotes welcome.

Never been an architectural technician and due to qualifications and stubbornness i've aboided "CAD technician" like the plague and danced round the edges of it but essentially I do civil3D driving for a civil engineering consultancy that specialises in hydrology. Spend alot of my time re designing rivers to a more natural condition  and reducing flooding. Do some flood modelling and go out on site to inspect bridges on the railways and carry out asset surveys. I made it pretty clear from the start that I can use Civil 3D well and i can share my knowledge (actually manage to identify problems and solutions for autodesk a couple of times) but if i get lumped with it full time i'd not hang around.

Now back at uni as an apprentice at the suggestion of my employer to lift me out of technician status.

Tl;dr?

Can you vary your work some more?

Spend alot of my time re designing rivers to a more natural condition  and reducing flooding.

Sounds interesting