To find the best architecture internship, a student should think about his career goals, the type of architecture that interests him, and the size of the firm where he might want to work, or even become a partner for a day. The first and most crucial step is to select an architecture internship in the appropriate field. Even though the experience would undoubtedly be educational, a student interested in landscape architecture might not be best served working for a firm that specializes in historic renovations. Furthermore, an architecture internship at a large firm that specializes in the planning and development of projects requiring teams of a dozen or more architects may not provide the best taste of that end of the business for a student interested in eventually running his own small firm.
It’s also crucial to select an architecture internship at a firm with a successful internship program. It is best to complete an internship with a firm that has previously had interns, even if it is a small firm. Otherwise, the internship program may not be well-planned and may not turn out to be a worthwhile experience. Getting recommendations from a career counselor and talking to students who have already completed an architecture internship are two good ways to choose a good internship program at an architecture school.
An architecture internship, in the best-case scenario, allows students to earn some money. The internship should at the very least cover the cost of transportation. The best internships, on the other hand, are those that pay students a stipend or a modest hourly wage to allow them to focus on the internship. As a result, students can devote more time to their internship and less time to a part-time job to supplement their income. This is especially true if the internship takes place during the summer, when most students are attempting to earn as much money as possible in order to prepare for the upcoming academic year.
It is recommended that students who are unsure of what path they want to take as an architect complete two internships, one each semester during one of the later years of school. Working at firms that specialize in various types of projects allows the student to find the type of work that he enjoys and excels at.