Before I started the Architectural Technology course, I had already spent two years training towards a degree in architecture. My marks were not hitting anywhere near high enough and I couldn't understand why I had spent five years in practice from leaving school and attended construction college for two years — surely this would give me a good advantage?

I finally realised my technical ability was overshadowing my conceptual work — the technical side of architecture interested me more than the conceptual side and as a result, I decided to follow my instincts and enrol on the BSc(Hons) Architectural Technology course (part time) at Sheffield Hallam University. Within a month of    joining the course, my marks were soaring to new heights. At that point, I knew I had made the right decision!

Having worked in practice (and at this point to my naivety), I didn't expect there to be much more I could learn (technically). How wrong could I have been?

The course vastly expanded my knowledge in areas I didn't even know existed. My skills were developing in parallel with my work in practice, making it the most enjoyable experience of my career so far. In my final year I decided to enter the student competition for technical excellence. To find out I had won gave me more confidence in my work, and encouraged me to pursue my own technical ideas and methods.

After graduating, I was invited back to Sheffield Hallam as a lecturer to share my skills and technical knowledge with future generations of students on the Architectural Technology programme.

I also secured a new job working for Aedas Architects where I now work on medium and large scale projects ranging from an environmentally  sustainable community centre project through to retail projects, supermarkets and more. I am also responsible for in-house CAD training, contribute to rolling out the CAD standards nationwide and advising on the progression of the company’s CAD system and day to day working methods.