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Description
Example Titles
Classified Elsewhere
Duties
Skills
Employment Requirements
Terms & Conditions
Earnings
Education / Training
Career Paths
Outlook
Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies

Employment by Age Group
Employment by Industry
Employment by Region
Employment by Gender
Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification
Employment by Visible Minority

Architects (NOC 2151)

Description

Architects conceptualize, plan and develop designs for the construction and renovation of commercial, institutional and residential buildings. Architects are employed by architectural firms, private corporations and governments, or they may be self-employed.

Example Titles

architect
architectural standards specialist
chief architect
consulting architect
industrial and commercial buildings architect
residential architect

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Classified Elsewhere

Architecture and Science Managers (0212)
Landscape Architects (2152)
Naval architects (in 2148 Other Professional Engineers, n.e.c.)
Structural engineers (in 2131 Civil Engineers)

Duties

Architects perform some or all of the following duties:

Consult with clients to determine type, style and purpose of renovations or new building construction being considered
Conceptualize and design buildings and develop plans describing design specifications, building materials, costs and construction schedules
Prepare sketches and models for clients
Prepare or supervise the preparation of drawings, specifications and other construction documents for use by contractors and trades persons
Prepare bidding documents, participate in contract negotiations and award construction contracts
Monitor activities on construction sites to ensure compliance with specifications
Conduct feasibility studies and financial analyses of building projects.

Skills

Architects need the following skills and abilities:

be creative and imaginative, with the ability to conceptualize and understand spatial relationships in three dimensions,
be organized and able to pay attention to fine details,
have an interest in mathematics, physics, history, art and environmental issues,
be able to use computers for design, and estimating costs,
project management skills,
good problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and the ability to meet deadlines,
be able to accept criticism,
be able to explain technical details in simple terms,
may need teamwork skills and project management skills, as well as the ability to work alone,
be physically fit to cope with site inspections, although people with disabilities can work as architects,
some architects may need a foreign language for international projects,
Architects who are self-employed need skills in business management and marketing.

Employment Requirements

A bachelor's degree from an accredited school of architecture or completion of the syllabus of studies from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is required.
Graduates must complete a three-year internship under the supervision of a registered architect and complete the architect registration examination.
Architects in Manitoba must be registered with the Manitoba Association of Architects.

Terms & Conditions

Architects commonly work in an office environment, as well as outside. Although they generally work during normal business hours, many architects work evenings and weekends in order to meet project deadlines. The majority work full-time (89%). Approximately one quarter of architects in Manitoba are self employed (31%). As the work is project based, the level of activity may fluctuate over time.

Earnings

$43,700 per annum - starting

$63,500 per annum - average

$78,600 per annum - high

Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.

Education / Training

The University of Manitoba, Faculty of Architecture, offers the following degree programs:

Bachelor of Environmental Design (B.E.D.)
Architecture Pre-Masters Program.
Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
Master of City Planning (M.C.P.)
Master of Interior Design (M.I.D.)
Master of Landscape Architecture (M.Land.Arch.)

Red River College and Winnipeg Technical College:

Offer technical/computerized drawing/design courses.

Career Paths

Junior architects may concentrate on computerized construction drawings, or assisting in the design of one part of a project.

Architects may specialize in a particular type of construction, such as residential, commercial, industrial or institutional.

Architects who are skilled in all stages of architectural design and construction may become associates or partners in larger firms. Some become self-employed.

Outlook

Employment prospects for architects are expected to be good in the 2010 to 2014 period due to the level of industrial, commercial, office, retail and residential construction planned in the province. The employment of architects is affected by changes in economic conditions and as construction activity is volatile from one year to the next the situation could change fairly rapidly. The number of architects working in Manitoba in 2010 is estimated at 355.

In urban centres there is increasing activity in home renovations, new condominium developments, conversions of exisiting older industrial buildings to multi-use residence and commercial entities and construction of assisted living facilities for seniors. There is also a growing interest in green design, where the environmental performance of buildings is maximized by reducing energy and resource use, minimizing pollution and environmental impact.

A proportionally larger share of jobs for architects are located in Winnipeg. Across industries, most work in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services sector (85%), followed by Public Administration (10%) and Manufacturing (6%).

Employment by Age Group

Employment by Industry

Employment by Region

Employment by Gender

Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification

Employment by Visible Minority

Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.

Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies...

The Manitoba Association of Architects, http://www.mbarchitects.org/