Work experience

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skipsmash
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 6:17 pm

Work experience

Post by skipsmash »

My dd is in year 10. She has to arrange work experience for September. She wants to do architecture. An architect (friend of a friend) has asked her to email - why architecture - and dd can't answer, other than she likes looking at houses, new and old, and drawing them and their layout. She is doing art for GCSE, and wants to do art, geography, chemistry or maths for A level - but may change her mind.

What reasons can she give?
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Work experience

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Type in "Why study Architecture" into google and that should give her some ideas....
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Work experience

Post by KB »

Start by making sure she has researched what architects actually do including the range of opportunities available. This isn't meant to sound rude. My experience is that even much older students can think they are interested in a career without really understandinh what's involved and when you drill down they are really interested in only one aspect of it or indeed prefer the idea of a related field.
That should give her somewhere to start.
The answer she's come up with so far isn't bad but she needs to think a bit about understanding buildings, how they fit in their environment/ reflect history and the design aspect of fulfilling a brief.
Drawing existing buildings is a starting point but it would also be good if she can reflect on what sees/ draws.

Very efficient to be sorting it out so early!
skipsmash
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 6:17 pm

Re: Work experience

Post by skipsmash »

Thank you for your advice. My dd has been asked to by this architect to choose five architects, compare styles, discuss what she likes, do some drawings.

Sounds like A level work to me. She is determined to do this - but no sign of it yet. KB, your words are very helpful - understanding/environment/history/fullfilling a brief.

I think it's a lot to ask a 14 year old to do. Dd is not efficient, her school want to know where she is doing her work experience by March, so she hasn't long to do this work. She's also supposed to be revising for mocks.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Work experience

Post by kenyancowgirl »

I would advise her to go and speak to the school careers adviser. Efficiency is an essential skill for architecture - and attention to detail - as they work under pressure to short deadlines and have to be exceedingly accurate.
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Work experience

Post by KB »

Depending what the initial timescale was this does seem quite a big ask.
My guess is that the person concerned isn't familiar with year 10 levels.
I wonder if they are geared up for taking such a young person on work experience?

If you decide /she wants to go ahead then I would get her to focus on a few salient points for each one rather going for a full scale analysis, which isn't realistic given her other commitments.
ToadMum
Posts: 11947
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Work experience

Post by ToadMum »

I assume that the early deadline is to allow time for the school to check out the prospective placements, ensure that the necessary insurance is in place etc. Does the school provide any kind of guidance for the pupils to pass on to the employers whom they are approaching, to explain the purpose of the exercise?

I would tend to agree with KB that the person concerned doesn't seem to understand what level your DD is at.

Are there any 'fallback' placements for those who are unable to arrange their own?
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
RedVelvet
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:06 pm

Re: Work experience

Post by RedVelvet »

My son is yr 11 and had a one week placement with an architect firm in September. A good way of finding information is Pinterest. One of the titles for final piece GCSE this year is Architecture so there are lots if interesting boards to follow.

Over the week my son had to produce a design for a house on a specific site, I know he spent a lot of time on the orientation of the building as well as design styles. He had a great week, working very hard.

Best of luck to your daughter.
skipsmash
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2016 6:17 pm

Re: Work experience

Post by skipsmash »

Thank you.

I think the "friend of a friend" who is an architect has no experience of 14 year olds and is asking too much. I have passed this message on.

I'm going to ask school for information about what they expect from work experience and send it to him. In the past, friends' dc have sat in shops, libraries, schools, vets, drs surgeries, offices - but only had to express interest to get there, and observe when they get there (dc can't even use a till until aged 16).

Dd hasn't done any work yet - she is revising (she did minimum homework years 7-9 but is suddenly working hard). If she is interested in this, she has to research architecture, school want to know her placement by March. I hope she does at least try. The only work experience she has so far is doing a newspaper round and volunteering in a charity shop for D of E - which I thought was quite a lot of work for a 14 year old.
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