Where an architect can go next
12 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role an architect already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.
Architects investigate, design, and oversee the construction and development of buildings, urban spaces, infrastructure projects, and social spaces. They design in accordance with the surroundings and regulations applicable in specific geographic areas, taking into account factors that include function, aesthetics, costs, and public health and safety. They are aware of social contexts and environmental factors, which include the relationships between people and buildings, and buildings and the environment. They engage in multidisciplinary projects aimed at developing the social fabric of a geographic area and advancing in social urbanism projects.
Also known as architectural planner, commercial architect, building designer, urban architect, architects, residential architect, architectural designer.
Professionals 95 skills on file 12 career moves 1 above 60% overlap Closest: construction engineer, 72%
- 70% and above · short step
- 50 to 70% · real move
- Below 50% · substantial retraining
Table 1 · Within reach
Table 2 · A bigger jump
Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.
- interior architect 53% covered · difficulty 55.2
- landscape architect 45% covered · difficulty 60.9
- architectural drafter 44% covered · difficulty 60.2
- building inspector 35% covered · difficulty 63.9
- construction manager 29% covered · difficulty 75.5
- land planner 29% covered · difficulty 71.1
- civil drafter 28% covered · difficulty 70.1
- construction general contractor 24% covered · difficulty 74
- construction general supervisor 24% covered · difficulty 77.5
- civil engineering technician 23% covered · difficulty 78.5
- urban planner 21% covered · difficulty 85.1
Table 3 · What the job itself asks for
An architect needs 45 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.
- design open spaces communication, collaboration and creativity
- study the relationship between buildings, people and the environment information skills
- write an architectural brief communication, collaboration and creativity
- design buildings communication, collaboration and creativity
- satisfy technical requirements communication, collaboration and creativity
- sustainable building design engineering, manufacturing and construction
- consider building constraints in architectural designs communication, collaboration and creativity
- integrate building requirements in the architectural design communication, collaboration and creativity
- satisfy aesthetic requirements communication, collaboration and creativity
- airtight construction engineering, manufacturing and construction
Table 4 · Jobs that lead here
The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what an architect does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.
Look up another occupation
Architect is filed under Professionals, ISCO major group 2. The full index lists all ten groups.
How these figures were compiled
Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of an architect’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.