Personality. While the careers of both architects and engineers may face the same or at least similar development projects, the way architects and engineers embark on an assignment differs greatly. The design-focus brains of architects are immersed in imagination. The building’s design and allure is the canvas to their artistic invention. While architects must also have some basic understanding of building laws in their certified state and/or country to ensure that the building’s foundation and structure are practical, they are mostly free to focus on aesthetic appeal. Engineers are the physical developers. They are the ones who take the architect’s lofty ideas and turn them into a reality. The tools engineers use to bring buildings and structures to life are rooted in the sciences of mathematics, physics, and a deep understanding of the physical properties of the building materials. As an architect, your personality should be creative, artistic, and imaginative. Future engineers, on the other hand, will have a penchant for science, maths, and analytical thinking.
Project management. In the beginning of either career, most architects and engineers will find themselves having to adhere greatly to a budget. The creativity that architects enjoy so much about their job will be dictated by the practical application of budgetary constraints. The enforcers of this economic limitation will be the engineers. Mathematically minded engineers might put a damper on artistic architects’ design due to cost or practical purposes. Having to figure out the cheapest way to express the architect’s design is one of the challenges of working as an engineer. When managing an ongoing project, architects may work with clients more directly than the engineer. Ask yourself if you are a people person with the right skills to communicate effectively when projects must be modified. If you have the ability to communicate articulately then you might do better as an architect. If you have trouble expressing difficult information and have a more analytical mind, it may be in your best interest to perform behind the scenes as an engineer instead of an architect.
Passion. Do you have a deep passion for forms and space? Architects may have to initially put in hours at firms that may not allow you to express yourself as creatively as you would like. Will you enjoy the work without the artistic control? What if the money isn’t as good as you expected for the first few years? You must have a passion for a career in architecture in order to keep yourself motivated. Alternatively, engineering might open a few more doors by way of career options, allowing a bit more freedom during the first few years of a professional career. Engineers may also be called on to serve as architects, design-wise, on certain projects, but architects will not have the skills set to function as engineers. In any case, the career is what you choose to make of it, but be sure you have the passion to continue to pursue your career.
School commitment. Architectural degrees generally require five year commitments to obtain a bachelor's degree. Graduates will then take on long-term paid internships that will earn them the three year’s experience needed to sit for the Architect Registration Exam. If internships are completed during their time as undergraduates, these could also be included as experience. Engineers will find themselves looking at a four year undergraduate degree with the option of a masters degree, although engineers may be able to find jobs placement quickly upon graduation without advanced degrees. There is a pay increase with the acquisition of a masters degree for engineers. No matter which career you decide to go into, both will require a great deal of education due to the importance of the work.
To get down to the very basics, ask yourself if you prefer math and quantifying numbers or do you prefer art and solving puzzles? This is a good way to determine which position would be the best fit. Take into account your passions, interests, and skills when making your choice and you will be sure to find success.
