So you've figured out that studying architecture is expensive or you are already familiar with the expenses that accompany all the projects you will be doing during your time at university. You might have the financial assistance from wherever you've been fortunate to have received. But we all know this doesn't happen for everyone. What you do know is that you will be building many skills along the way, so might as well make use of them. Here are some jobs you can do while being a student, in your space-time or as a graduate because we could all use a spare bit of change every once in a while.
Do you enjoy teaching others or do you find yourself helping out friends on CAD tasks on software like AutoCAD, Photoshop or InDesign?
If teaching is something you enjoy doing then it is definitely something worth pursuing. Nowadays there are a variety of platforms and ways to go about teaching. If you aren't looking for a quick return then Youtube is a great place to share some tutorials of how you complete a certain drawing or design task. You could also offer your own tutoring sessions whereby you can be teaching an individual or a small group in a seminar-style through platforms like Zoom when you have showcased your work and skill beforehand. Like many things, you will have to invest in some time on using a platform or method that is best for you. For some, it may start off through Instagram and then a website of your own and for others, it may mean starting a youtube space whereby you can explore some other skills along the way. It may seem like in order to receive the time you've invested these are tasks you can do that with consistency over a longer period of time you'll eventually have somewhat of a return. But as always you have to put in the time and work to build a body of work that will allow you to gain monetisation one way or another. It is realistic to assume that one can begin teaching once you have a large following but this is very much dependant on the skill/software you are teaching. To see where you may fit explore some of the skills you've been developing over the years and give it a try, design skills are always in demand and for a relatively reasonable price, many are willing to invest into learning more than you may actually think. What is even better is that you don't even have to leave your house to do them, so the return and help you can offer can have a great reach and flexibility for you and those who are willing to pay for your services.
Is there a skill that you enjoy more than others? You should explore it further.
This can be illustration, photography, model making the list for this is endless but how can you make something of it? Offer this as a service to others. Whether it is friends in your circle of friends you've made over social media offering you work at a rate that is reflective of your efforts, the equipment, resources and time is a reasonable pursuit. Although architecture isn't just about how beautiful something maybe you shouldn't hesitate to seize an opportunity on the work that you may feel proud of, or extra work you've done for your own leisure. Especially when it comes to gifting items, architecture work whether it is prints of your visualisations, illustrations or photographs will be greatly received when they are produced in a different format. Your architecture and design work is beautiful when you realise that it has the potential for alternative uses. It is an additional skill to develop your work beyond the classroom and realising that you can do this means you are hitting two birds with one stone. You are making great use of your time and will learn what it means to develop other customer service skills that would otherwise be difficult to build in other settings.
Now for the platforms in which you can offer this, there are far too many to list out and the procedures are definitely available to find more about if you choose to look for it. This may mean you will need to build a website, but it is an investment like most things that you will have a return from in the long run when you use it effectively.
If you feel like you've built an extensive use of a particular skill you should definitely explore the avenue of contacting architecture firms and seeking ways to work on what you love in a professional setting. Although this may not be possible for everyone, there is a rise and may continue a demand with architecture practises seeking specialist skills on a freelance basis which would be great especially if you looking to build a substantial portfolio of work that is still within architecture and design. Even if opportunities are short term it is worth trying this out that way you can build up your cv and gain a greater understanding of the world of work.
In times where it can be difficult to find work experience but realise that you can make the most of the skills you already have is one way to go about it. Don't be afraid of doing something different, be afraid of not growing. These are suggestions that hopefully will help you start something for yourself in the comfort of your home because you really are only limited by what you think you can't do and being in architecture school I think it is fair to say that you have tonnes of skills that you can pursue in a professional manner. This isn't to remove the notion that any of these suggestions are easy or quick money ideas because they aren't. Nothing worthwhile ever really is but it is a way to continuously keep developing your skills in different settings and allow you to keep on creatively thinking. Plus you learn a lot more people skills than you might think and that is always a bonus. It doesn't always have to be in an architecture setting but it can definitely help you to build confidence in the world of finding work, design-related or not.