George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
Maria Pavlou and Richard De Oliveira
George Brown Alumni Maria Pavlou and Richard De Oliveira talk about how the Architectural Technology Program led to successful careers in the industry. This program allows student to build a knowledge of industry fundamentals via their state of the art software and learning spaces. This combined with their strong industry ties and co-op opportunities help to produce a job-ready grad. Through the skill set implemented in the Architectural Technology program Maria and Richard were able to pursue careers they were passionate about and are proud to be George Brown Polytechnic alumni.
Kimberlyn Lei
Architectural Technology - T109
Graduated 2012
“I am thankful that George Brown Polytechnic provided portfolio classes. Having a portfolio is something that a lot of industries stress over and I think this class has helped me a lot in preparation for the interviews I had to go through before graduating.” explains Architectural Technology graduate Kimberlyn Lei who got her first job right after graduation working as an Architectural Technologist on the Design Team at Q4 Architects Inc. “I had considered going into university instead of college but what interested me more is being able to have the hands-on application that is given to you in college.”
Kimberlyn explains that her “typical work day can be both relaxing and stressful at the same time. I receive work for different projects one after the other and having this option of working with other projects allows me to feel more enthusiastic about tackling other challenges. Finding errors on drawings that can cost a project to fall apart is something I find very rewarding because I realize how much I have learned from my experiences.”
“Two of the most valuable experiences from my program at George Brown Polytechnic would be my Architectural Technology & Sustainable Design I and Architectural Computer Drawing courses. I would admit during the first semester it was hard to build a model of a house when I knew nothing about architecture or construction. It was tough to get started on but I eventually started to progress in understanding different construction materials and methods. The lesson plans in my Architectural Computer Drawing course were excellent and I found having learned the software applications Revit and 3D Max Design proved to benefit my opportunities upon graduation.”
Education never stops for Kimberlyn. “As for my future plans, I am planning to pursue a LEED accreditation and write my BCIN exam. Other than that, I am just hoping to go up the ladder in my new job and earn some of the big bucks!”
Amylia Martens
Architectural Technology – T109
Graduated 2010
Growing up, Amylia Martens was always fascinated by the Design Industry. "When I was little, I wanted to be an architect or an interior designer - I always wanted to get into some kind of aspect of design. By the time I graduated high school, I knew which college and program I wanted to attend and it was George Brown."
Amylia was accepted into the 3 year Architectural Technology program. "I choose George Brown because I liked the way the information was taught compared to other schools. I loved my college experience as the teachers were great and good friends were made."
Amy’s most valuable experience during her studies at George Brown was taking part in the Design Charettes "All the students would dread putting in the long hours but in the end it was well worth it and you learned quite a lot in the short stressful period of time!"
After graduation, Amylia secured employment as an Architectural Designer with 1 Riser Designs in the Greater Toronto Area. "They are an architectural design firm that design custom and residential homes. Some of our big clients are Green park, Treasure Hill Homes, and Rivera Custom homes. A typical work day is talking to structural engineers & clients, going over design drawings, coming up with different concepts and constructing & correcting design and working drawings. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the finished product of the design when it is actually built and knowing that all the hard work and frustration has paid off."
What's next for Amylia? "I am going to get my hours and write the test to eventually be a licensed Architectural Technologist."
Darryl Rahim
Architectural Technology - T109
Graduated 2006
"One of the most rewarding aspects of working in the design and planning sector of the construction industry is definitely the final outcome of your hard labour – the construction of your project. Seeing a design that you worked on come to life is definitely a great experience!" explains Architectural Technology graduate Darryl Rahim, who is currently employed at Bregman and Hamann in downtown Toronto.
"Some of the most valuable experiences I had at George Brown included working collaboratively in the many group projects that were part of the curriculum. Such group endeavours helped to prepare me for what I now encounter on a daily basis -- working with clients, collaborating with my peers, and organizing my time effectively. "
Michael Haynes
Architectural Technology Program - T109
Graduated 2008
"There are only three words that can adequately express my 3 years at George Brown and those would be ‘Insightful, Informative and Inspirational’." says Michael Haynes who graduated from the Architectural Technology Program in 2008.
His most valuable experience involved being a participate in the ‘World House Costa Rica Online Charrette’ which focused on the search for housing solutions for the rural province of Guanacaste, Costa Rica. "This project helped me to feel what it was like to actually design a structure that could be constructed to shelter another person and not just another project design to be submitted to gain marks."
Tino Sisca
Architectural Technology Program - T109
Graduated 2008
Tino Sisca chose the Architectural Technology program at George Brown Polytechnic because he wanted to be at the "top of the food chain" in the construction industry.
"I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to the construction field and be part of a school that invested just as much interest to construction as I did to deciding what career path I wanted to take."
After second year, Tino completed a field placement with Whitney-Bailey Associates Inc., a group of architects that work on large industrial and commercial projects. "During my time in the placement I came to realize that I wanted a career with no boundaries, unlimited opportunities, and with a company that takes the time and effort to train you thoroughly".
Tino was thankful he attended an on-campus presentation for students by employer Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies during his last semester because it secured him a Project Manager position with them upon graduating. "The most rewarding part of my job is the feeling of completion & satisfaction when I walk through a building that is secure from functional hardware which we specified and provided."
During this past year, Tino had the possibility to travel to many parts of the United States of America for training seminars, reviews, and assessments. "Education and study seems to always be an ongoing factor of life."