It is always a pleasure to be invited to give career advice to students – this time at Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester, where there are 700 sixth formers, the biggest in the country.
When asked to speak about what I do, I have to remember not to mention the long training (7 years) but to focus on the legacy of building projects. The opportunities for architects now are limitless with options for training full time in University or as an Apprentice. In my career as an architect I have travelled all over the world and gained an incredible insight into other cultures, so it’s not all about architecture but the people who live, work, learn and benefit from the buildings I have repaired, designed, extended and converted to new uses. These include historic sites in England, Canada, Jordan, Lebanon, Ireland and Scotland and clients as diverse as the Ministry of Justice (prisons), the Department for National Heritage (statues and monuments), The National Trust (Uppark West Sussex), Forde Abbey, Buxton Spa and Crescent, St Pancras Station and The National Audit Office. My work has been rich and varied and that is what makes architecture such an interesting career path.
