Building design course ticks all the boxes

Our growing landscape of architecturally designed buildings is evidence of the increasing passion for merging art with construction and why building design graduates of The Gordon are in hot demand.

Local Surf Coast resident Madeleine Bent completed an Advanced Diploma of Building Design at The Gordon and now manager her own building design business, focusing on residential projects. 

“The Gordon was the obvious choice for me to acquire the practical skills and knowledge to be job-ready for this industry. The building design course gave me real-life experience and gave me excellent grounding with hands-on experience. Once I had finished studying, I felt capable of getting straight into a job,” said Madeleine.

“Being job-ready meant I was able to work while I was studying and be appropriately skilled once my studies were complete. To work in this industry, you need good design and construction knowledge and an understanding of statutory planning and building regulations. The varied experience of the teaching staff and their enthusiasm to give the best opportunities and experiences was fantastic,” continued Madeleine.

“Now, with my own business, I love seeing how happy clients are with their new homes and seeing my ideas realised in the physical building,” said Madeleine.

Students get to work hands-on in a simulated office environment while studying at The Gordon. They acquire skills that directly related to the various stages of a project. This includes presentation, documentation and architectural workflow processes for building projects, and explores freehand to digital design techniques.

“After a couple of years of experience, students can go through a registration process and run their own business. This is the ultimate goal of many of our students like Madeleine. Others who take a pathway to university to study architecture can gain credit transfers and earn up to 1.5 years off their five-year course,” said Marija Maccora, an advanced design and building teacher at The Gordon.

“Our students are held in high regard in the building design industry. Many of our industry connections attend our end-of-year exhibition, where students display their work and employment opportunities are created,” shared Marija.

Explore a career in building design at thegordon.edu.au.