Graduated but still incompetent: What should a fresh graduate Architecture student have before really “Graduating”?

I stumble upon this topic just awhile a go when my Architect friend sent me a message asking if I had a job already. I told him that I would love to have one but unfortunately I was still finishing my thesis. Then, I asked my friend who just graduated this year if she wanted to apply for the job. Unfortunately, she also had second thoughts because she thought she was incompetent.

Many fresh graduate students in all fields have the same problem as with my friend. They feel incompetent because they could not meet the standards of today especially on the fast change of technology. In the field of architecture, students should thus be able to meet the technologies and new software systems to be able to feel competent in their future jobs.

Here are some things an Architecture student should master before really graduating.

1. Autocad

Every architecture student should know even the basic of this, At this time, there is a latest edition of Autocad which is Autocad 2009 Architects Edition.

2. 3D Max

This software is good for doing perspective and three dimensional areas.

3. Google Sketch Up
4. VRay
5. Adobe Photoshop
6. Corel Draw

All of these softwares can be downloaded from the internet and can be bought in stores. Although it entails a lot of time for practice, it is important that a student values practice that being caught empty handed in the on the job trainings. It is also valuable to create a good first impression.