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I wanna be an Technologist

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    #32
    vassras
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭vassras


    Sorry to just come in on this but does anyone know if there is a Arch Tech course part time? I have being searching the net for a while now and can't see anything..


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    #33
    Information Seeker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40 ✭Information Seeker


    sinnerboy wrote: »
    The more things change the more they stay the same .

    AT training is today what it was when I started it in 1982 . An excellent grounding for a varied and interesting career - if you are motivated to achieve this later on . Never sell yourself short.

    If you later get stuck doing nothing but door schedules and editing other peoples mark-ups - change that as soon as you can. As a matter of fact I have seen both AT's and Arch's get pigeon holed like this . It depends on the force of one's own personality .

    I particularity recall one poor sod of an Architect in a UK practice who for years only produced sanitary schedules for the hospital design consultancy I worked for then . Every day he died a little more - his own fault . Another Architect I knew was stuck on the windows schedule ( for a £35 million hospital ) for 3 months . Guess what he did ? Moved on sharpish at the earliest opportunity .

    To celticgooner I say again - don't listen to reasons not to train . Your experience will stand to you both during and after college . Have fun doing it too - very important that . The futures bright . :)

    Well said. I am not an AT, but I think it is a critical discipline in construction.


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    #34
    Information Seeker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40 ✭Information Seeker


    woody1 wrote: »
    just to pick up on what a few people have said,
    1. i am a technician graduated 12 years ago and have never been out of work yet all in ireland too, so there is work out there a lot less but its there i work in a company of 2 technicians, doing mostly subcontract work from architects and engineers and " architects " in our area, we both have sub specialised into other relevant areas this broadens our base to get work in

    2. what you do after you get your basic education.. if you sit on it and do nothing other than sit in front of pc all day drawing up what your told then yes you will have trouble youl need to specialise go on and get a postgrad in prooject management , fire , energy, passive whatever this is where you make yourself valuable , employable and if you want to work for yourself these are skills that you will need...

    3. if architectural technicians technologists whatever are now defunct i have one question who is or who is going to do the work basic drawing, detailing, running projects, making tea.. and all the other stuff that technicians have done and will do for years... architects ! dont think so, i still get phone calls every day asking me the most basic technical stuff and i mean basic, i do sub contract work for a few in my part of the country and most of them are great designers and comunicators but they dont like and in some cases arent able for the technical stuff,


    anyway if your interested in the design / technical end of things go for technology and then go for passive or energy efficiency or whatever keep up to date in the meantime and by the time your qualified i think youl be okay
    I think your a great motivator to any students/graduates out there. Great post.


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    #35
    gossipgal08
    Registered Users Posts: 178 ✭✭gossipgal08


    Celtic gooner Am doing AT
    You need Building Reg. Start learning them off by heart.
    Homebond is good but mainly for reference.
    Architectural Technology by Michael Hannon. Its a leaving cert book so u should be able to pick up one second hand. There is a good bit in it.
    Architecture Form Space and Order. and A Visual Dictonary of Architecture by Francis D K Ching Take a look at all his work
    We also used Woodspec book take a look at the Coford website most of it is downloadable. Not sure what college ur in but if you head over to their thread and ask some one could give u the list for that college


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    #36
    celticgooner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭celticgooner


    gossipgal08 wrote: »
    Celtic gooner Am doing AT
    You need Building Reg. Start learning them off by heart.
    Homebond is good but mainly for reference.
    Architectural Technology by Michael Hannon. Its a leaving cert book so u should be able to pick up one second hand. There is a good bit in it.
    Architecture Form Space and Order. and A Visual Dictonary of Architecture by Francis D K Ching Take a look at all his work
    We also used Woodspec book take a look at the Coford website most of it is downloadable. Not sure what college ur in but if you head over to their thread and ask some one could give u the list for that college

    Thanks Gossipgal .
    Today I bought the Michael Hannon book second hand for 17.50 Flicking through it Id know well over half the stuff in it but it looks a handy one to have for the college.I will look out for the Francis D K Ching book.

    Information Seeker
    I agree with your posts Its great to have Sinnerboy Woody and all here for the help and info etc

    And Ive just received my Ciat student membership card in the post.So theres no stopping me now :D
    Cheers
    [EMAIL="Membership@CIAT"][/EMAIL]


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    #37
    galwaytt
    Registered Users Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    celticgooner wrote: »
    Ok guys im looking for your input here.Ive got a few months before i start my 3 yr course so i want to be a bit clued up beforehand I dont want to end up just as a Cad monkey :).Ive got 20+ yrs exp on site,Ive certs in Carpentry/joinery,Autocad 2D and 3D,ECDL and a small fetac in Health and safety.What books/articles should I be reading now? What laws or regs should I start learning?What else should i be doing? My wife says i spend to much time playing games on the computer (Student version of Revit arch).
    Cheers


    Celticgooner - good on ya. You have more patience than I !

    I'm neither an Arch or AT, but use 2D ACAD daily, both on my stuff, and stuff that gets sent to me.

    But taking your site and other experience I think you have a couple of things going for you that are a big + : the non- 'skyhook' factor! Whilst energy efficiency, design etc are all very well, the abilility to visualise, based on practical experience, actual execution of of those things means, imho, you have a unique perspective. There are too many who don't, and your skillset would be fairly unique imho.

    Ode To The Motorist

    “And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, generates funds to the exchequer. You don't want to acknowledge that as truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about at the Green Party, you want me on that road, you need me on that road. We use words like freedom, enjoyment, sport and community. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent instilling those values in our families and loved ones. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the tax revenue and the very freedom to spend it that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way. Otherwise I suggest you pick up a bus pass and get the ********* ********* off the road” 



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    #38
    celticgooner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭celticgooner


    galwaytt wrote: »
    Celticgooner - good on ya. You have more patience than I !

    I'm neither an Arch or AT, but use 2D ACAD daily, both on my stuff, and stuff that gets sent to me.

    But taking your site and other experience I think you have a couple of things going for you that are a big + : the non- 'skyhook' factor! Whilst energy efficiency, design etc are all very well, the abilility to visualise, based on practical experience, actual execution of of those things means, imho, you have a unique perspective. There are too many who don't, and your skillset would be fairly unique imho.

    Cheers galwaytt I was kind of thinking along the same lines myself and will be using that angle at future interviews ;)


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    #39
    nmcbrearty11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭nmcbrearty11


    just to pick up on what a few people have said,
    1. i am a technician graduated 12 years ago and have never been out of work yet all in ireland too, so there is work out there a lot less but its there i work in a company of 2 technicians, doing mostly subcontract work from architects and engineers and " architects " in our area, we both have sub specialised into other relevant areas this broadens our base to get work in

    2. what you do after you get your basic education.. if you sit on it and do nothing other than sit in front of pc all day drawing up what your told then yes you will have trouble youl need to specialise go on and get a postgrad in prooject management , fire , energy, passive whatever this is where you make yourself valuable , employable and if you want to work for yourself these are skills that you will need...

    3. if architectural technicians technologists whatever are now defunct i have one question who is or who is going to do the work basic drawing, detailing, running projects, making tea.. and all the other stuff that technicians have done and will do for years... architects ! dont think so, i still get phone calls every day asking me the most basic technical stuff and i mean basic, i do sub contract work for a few in my part of the country and most of them are great designers and comunicators but they dont like and in some cases arent able for the technical stuff,

    anyway if your interested in the design / technical end of things go for technology and then go for passive or energy efficiency or whatever keep up to date in the meantime and by the time your qualified i think youl be okay

    Woody1,

    You have posted here saying about doing the Architectural Technology degree course and then doing another course or module in Fire / Sustainability etc.

    Well I have got my ordinary degree in Architectural Technology and now can either further my Architectural Technology degree for a year by studying an honours degree in this in Napier, Edinburgh. But also, I could do a Fire Safety Engineering Hons. degree in LYIT aswell. Which would you recommend for me in my position, taking note I have just finished an ordinary degree course in Arch Tech in LYIT? Would it be better for job prospects and higher salary for me now to go and do a fire related course and possibly a sustainability course rather than to get my honours degree in Architectural Technology? I dont want to be in college really for many more years so for me its one or the other..

    Please post back with your opinions and experiences of seeing other AT's in your career and which have gotten on better, the ones with the hons. degree, or the one maybe with an ordinary degree and one or more specialised areas like fire, sustainability etc.


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    #40
    woody1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,907 ✭✭✭woody1


    sorry for the delay, been thinking about this one a bit, its kinda scary to be giving someone career advice, but i hope you use your own mind and other peoples opinions as well ..
    anyway here goes
    i dont know a whole lot about the tech course in lyit , to be honest i didnt know they had one... , so ive no idea what kind of level your coming out at .. , but
    for the purposes of dicussion we'll assume its a reasonable course and your coming out well prepared..
    so what the discussion comes down to then is , if you land into an office on an interview ( by some miracle ) what does the guy at the other end of the desk value

    1. the fact that you have an honours degree.. but will be principally doing the same job as you would with ordinary degree.. or
    2. you have an ordinary degree in technology and a degree in fire safety .. so now straight off the bat you can do standard beginner techie work and fire certs.. in fact youl probably be more clued in on fire regs etc than your prospective employer

    now you would end up doing fire certs in the long run even if you didnt have the qualification but if you have it going in the door then your more valuable to the office straight away ..plus in terms of looking for work generally it gives you a slightly broader range you could work with fire safety engineers as well as architects or engineers..

    so in summary i think i'd go for the fire safety.. (actualy if i had the cash and the time i'd do both )

    as for how other technicians are doing.. of the 7 r 8 i know well still, only 1 is in a bulletproof job for life , for the state , and hasnt had to specialize, spends his day sitting in front of pc doing drawing and gets paid well for it..
    the rest.. 1 or 2 have gone heavily into passive, 1 in australia flat out as well, doing well.. 1 has b.e.r. and a lot of fire cert and land surveying experience and this provides bulk of work.. another has done the trinity fire course..another gone to interior design /project management along with a bit of techie work now and again.., i do perc tests, land surveys, fire certs, and whatever i can get my hands on but the perc test provide the bulk of the work.. have the fetac cert.. 2 week course , simple enough, best money i ever spent.. and of course there are a fair few people not employed in the industry anymore ...
    by the way a lot of the people above are also doing second jobs in other occupations ,


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