dfgh

CAREERS

Start your career off right with Select Architects.

Studying architecture, drafting and design is one thing, getting the right job to help grow your skills and support you through registration can be quite another.

Since we started the practice, more than 24 aspiring architects have chosen Select to kick start their careers either as interns whilst still studying or via the graduate program.

Our philosophy is simple, we want the best talent to join our team to ensure we have a diverse, vibrant workplace and a culture where career development, training and giving back are all core values of the business.

Once graduated, it usually takes 2 – 3 years to complete the required training and practical experience to enable you to sit the examination, submit your logbook and become registered to practice.

Stewarding aspiring architects through this experience is one of the most rewarding things we do at Select Architects.

Enquire about Careers with Select

The Select Graduate Experience

Open & Collaborative Culture

We are a national owned and operated architectural practice that has carved out an outstanding reputation for quality work from inception to completion across a vast array of sectors.

We ensure the whole team is aware of the major projects we are undertaking, and as a graduate you will be exposed to all aspects of our practice, working alongside, and learning from outstanding senior members of our team – all of whom were graduates once themselves.

We foster an open and collaborative culture where we celebrate personal and professional achievements and ensure everyone has the opportunity to be the most outstanding version of themselves they can be – the rest is then up to you.

Registration Support and Training

For many emerging architects, registration is the focus and the requirements for practical experience and theoretical learning to get your logbook completed can be demanding on top of full-time work.

For all of our graduates, we map out a specific training and development pathway, with time allocated during business hours, to reach those targets.

We invest in external and internal training sessions to ensure the right technical skills development takes place and balance that with real-world experience working on live projects from inception through design, construction and completion.

We regularly invest in team happiness and wellbeing as well as skills and development, it’s a core part of our culture.  Whether its social events, focussing on a happy workplace, encouraging flexible work practices , ensuring we stay true to our shared values and behaviours, or investing in people management and mentoring, we are only as good as our team and we want to be the best in the business.

Regular CPD Activities

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is part of our daily work routine.  Through a combination of formal and informal activities, we actively ensure that all team members undertake regular CPD across all specialist areas of architecture.

We expect all team members to complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD each year which can include:

  • Internal presentations from trades people sharing latest developments
  • Coordination with professional bodies for access to courses
  • Training and mentoring with senior team members

On the job Training & Development

Registration and CPD are both critical aspects of an architect’s career but so is life-long learning and on the job training and professional development.

All team members have a documented development plan that sets annual growth and development targets and enables us to connect everyone with the right projects and experiences to develop their skills and increase their knowledge.

“ Don’t just look for the big-name firms.  Research and think about where you are going and the support you will get and seek a firm where graduates get to work alongside senior, experienced architects.

In the first few years, it’s as much about you as it as about the firm you work for.  And don’t forget, if you put in the work you’ll be supported to grow and develop, you need to start at the beginning and work hard and you will get rewarded”.

A Select Graduate Case Study

Liesa Nunn – Senior Associate

2011 – Current

When I finished school, I wanted to pursue a career that blended creativity with project management and making “something” and so I decided to pursue a degree in architecture.

I grew up in a small country town and so moving to Geelong and going to University was a bit of a gamble and I’m absolutely delighted it paid off!

I graduated in 2011 which really wasn’t a great time for the construction sector.  Many architecture firms were actually downsizing their teams and there was very little opportunity.

A friend of mine knew Select Architects and suggested that I dropped in my CV and on the day that I arrived at the office I was fortunate enough to find Peter (Select Founder and Managing Director) in reception.

Luckily for me I had Peter literally cornered as I introduced myself.  Along with residential, education and commercial experience, Select had developed a formidable reputation in retail design and development and so they were bucking the trend across the rest of the sector and were quite busy.

Peter didn’t have any roles open at that time, but he did give me a part time role for six months as maternity leave cover for reception.  I was thrilled, it got me in at the ground floor but because of the incredible culture, I wasn’t just at the front answering phones I was actively supporting the team on a day to day basis.

At the end of the contract I moved into a Graduate Architect role and then moved up the ranks to where I am now as Senior Associate managing projects from end to end right across the spectrum of work we deliver.

Select is an incredible place that allowed me to have career progression from the entry level role to one of the most senior practitioners in the same firm.  Reflecting on the last nine years the things I value most include:

  1. The opportunity to grow and develop
  2. Support to undertake that development “on the job”
  3. Fantastic mentors who really give you the chance to take off and the opportunity to stretch your wings and take on new challenges
  4. Supported registration – allowed the time and support to attend classes to get set for the exams as well as the right on the job practice to be able to complete the log books and criteria for registration
  5. Facilitated practice interviews with experienced examiners to give us the right support
  6. Ensuring we had well-rounded experience in every aspect of every phase of a project.