John Wood

I took my job with Ellis Williams after graduating from my Part 1 degree in 2008. The first major milestone came a month or two in, when I was assigned to work closely with a project architect on a £20m design and build Academy which was just beginning on site. Immediately I was pushed to the edge of my comfort zone - juggling area schedules, technical details and setting out drawings, always working to tight deadlines but with good support from my colleagues.

Having worked at other offices during university holidays I was fairly well informed about how architects operate in the workplace. However here I felt immediately that the skills I developed in education would be put to good use, and the practice was willing to invest time and resources in my professional development. Therefore once I had completed 12 months post Part 1, I decided to return on a part-time basis to Manchester School of Architecture.

To begin with I was nervous about the prospect of coping with the additional stress; however I quickly found that this was offset by the benefits part-time study. It meant continuing to build on my technical knowledge while studying as well as having the added security of remaining in work. Both colleagues and lecturers have been extremely supportive, and the vast bank of knowledge and resources I have access to is invaluable - not just through architects but technologists, administrators and visualisers too. The real benefit for me has been the ability to contextualise in practice ideas which have arisen from my academic work and vice versa.

Looking forward to my final year of the academic programme, I feel the route I've taken has laid a good foundation, both academically and professionally, for whatever may lie ahead.

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