Not only do they enhance their practical applications such as Revit/Drawing and how the industry works, they gain more psychological and no less important skills such as time management, communication and confidence building. Says Emma Sharp, HR Director at rpa:goup, “During their placement with us, our interns are able to put their skills and theories into practice and we support them in gaining invaluable, hands-on experience in the field of Architecture”.
Nicola Szczepaniak, studying at the University of Portsmouth and coming to the end of her one year placement with us agrees. “In my time here, I have gained more knowledge about the industry than I could ever have hoped for.” She adds, “The wide range of expertise amongst my colleagues has helped me develop many skills, from learning how to use the software more efficiently, to managing myself to complete various tasks professionally, on time and to a high standard” Nicola was also able to gain practical knowledge by visiting construction sites, in order to experience how the work produced in our offices is applied on site.
Michael Pearce, studying at the University of Brighton, and also nearing the end of his one year internship says, “My time here has been extremely important in terms of progression for my career. I was urged to begin working on live projects from my second day so I could get a feel for these kinds of projects. In only a few months this allowed me to become an integral part of the team producing work to a high standard”. He emphasises that his responsibility has been no less than any other person in the team, which has been hugely important to his development and learning. As a company, we will continue to give interns the opportunity to work with us for many years to come. It is without doubt a mutually beneficial exercise. Mark Cherrett, Director of Architecture elaborates. “Interns bring with them new perspectives, fresh ideas, and skill sets. We in turn benefit from the “injection” of fresh thinking and it can ultimately help us gain valuable future employees.”
Our interns can certainly face their future with confidence, after their time with us. Says Michael “This internship has taken me to a new level and it has allowed me to feel confident about going back to finish my degree. I have no doubt that it will improve my work efficiency and my final product. Also, as I have experienced full time working life, it has prepared me for the future before I have even graduated, which feels like a head start.” Nicola agrees. “I think that working here has given me a great advantage when it comes to completing my degree and hopefully achieving the highest grade possible. I believe that it will also make me more employable after I graduate, as not many other graduates will have had a whole year of real experience in the workplace.”
We are currently recruiting replacements to continue this process. If you are an architecture student seeking an internship, please visit our contact us page for further details and contact information.
