About Architect-US

American companies love hiring recent graduates and young architects which come from abroad. They recognize the fact that experiencing other cultures and diverse work environments is a great driver for personal development and knowledge of global practices and methods. An experience which is mutually beneficial to companies as they also benefit from hiring international talents as yourselves and gives them new business opportunities in foreign markets. They also profit from the talent you bring to the team and the experience you have. Something which the Job+J1 visa program will allow you to do by going to work in the United States for a period of up to 18 months. Accordingly, your resume will also get more valuable as you will be challenged in an environment with different views and insights than those from your home. Widening your perspective and giving you the opportunity to learn how American companies approach and accomplish different architectural projects. Going to work in the States will open your mind in ways that you wouldn’t have imagined before. Employers know that this opportunity is a significant advantage in today’s world and one that will certainly open new doors in a growing cross-cultural world. Diversifying you academic and professional experience will bring great benefits to you as a professional and will take you out of your comfort zone. By participating in opportunities like this you will be able to market your newly acquired skillsets and it will make your application process in the future much easier. You have to be willing to take the initiative and at some point, take calculated risks that will propel you to new and exciting future opportunities and adventures. Over the years, architecture has become and has been for some time, a global industry. With more and more talents going to the U.S. to work, more approaches to problem solving and techniques will arise and the flow in the creative progress nourish those that come from all over the world and now live in the States. [activecampaign form=260]

Our Blog section at Architect-US is a great tool for you to learn about the Job+J1 program, life in the States, and most importantly how to maximize your potential and increase your chances of landing that dream job you’ve been looking for. If you are a young professional looking to gain experience in the US but you are uncertain about the program, simply look at our blog to learn about all of the benefits a program like this can bring to you. Once you have landed in the Blog section you will find different categories at the top of the page. Inside every category there are sub-categories for you to choose from that will answer any doubts and questions that you have. Our team has dedicated their time to cover all the important information that you will need to know for registration, approval, pre-departure information, rent and transportation in the city you are looking into, and all other aspects involving the program. Including exciting information about life in the States!! Use this section as a tool to improve and make changes to your CV and Portfolio to highlight the qualities that make you a great designer and will get employers interested in your work. Every doubt or questions that we have received from past and current participants we have tried to cover in our posts, and they will give you the guidance you need moving forwards. [activecampaign form=260]

Successful architectural firms strategize their leadership and reflect on the future of the firm by analyzing the plans and experience of the employee. This has shown to be particularly true in the way that firms have reevaluated the core values of the workplace. Allowing team members to be part of the bigger picture and getting them as involved as possible in the design process. Different studios such as the international VolumeOne, have noticed that by introducing students and employees to settings of vast cultural differences has resulted in the development of innovative and high-quality work. Building an internal community within the workplace which allows the cross-communication between different cultures and ethnicities presents new challenging opportunities and addresses problems from a sociological approach. 1. Adaptive The J1 Visa program allows you to take part of a collaborative professional setting in which different cultures are coming together. Currently, the United States is one of the world’s international hubs and inserting yourself in unfamiliar environments where you are introduced to different ways in which projects perceive urban, economic, and environmental aspects, inevitably forces you to adapt to unfamiliar environments. You become more receptive to ideas and approaches that differ greatly from yours, and you are also given the opportunity to present and execute those methods of your own. 2. Forward-looking Naturally, more and more architectural firms are seeing the value of bringing in international talents to their team. It brings diversity of background and thought to their internal community and widens the perspective and approach of the team. Expanding on opportunities and fostering an all-inclusive methodology in their everyday routine. As a result, projects tend to be more innovative and culturally sensible. The J1 Visa program aims to provide countless opportunities for young international architects who seek to expand their knowledge in the field and gain experience in a setting different from the one which they are used to. The United States continues to be one of the top destinations for internationals worldwide and architectural studios throughout the country are looking for these bright minds to join their team of talented architects. Moving across the globe and learning from different cultures and experiences and being immersed in unfamiliar environments allows the designers to try new methods and develop new skills sets that may not grow unless being thrown into such experiences. By considering programs like these, designers will provide companies with opportunities that will open doors and deliver global reach and knowledge; key values of Architect-US.  [activecampaign form=258]

It’s even hard to describe how much I have already learned in my experience with Architect-US since my journey started seven months ago, how much I have grown both professionally and personally thanks to this experience. I have already done a couple of internships/traineeships before ( for more than a year ), the first one was prior to my graduation in Slovakia and the other one was in Paris after I graduated. Both of them have taught me more than any other job, especially the one abroad because it helped me to improve my language skills, broaden my horizons in architecture and design. I have also met so many interesting people and gained valuable connections in an architectural environment. Since my first day as a trainee at KFA Architecture in Santa Monica I have gained so much more experiences, learned more about my profession as an architect and it has also prepared me for having more responsibilities.

1. Different design approach

Thanks to my jobs/internships abroad, I already got used to different styles, types of architecture, different ways of thinking, design approaches. However, in my opinion in Europe, architecture/design doesn’t change that much from country to country. In the US I had to start from zero because it’s a completely new experience, wooden framing instead of concrete and bricks, different units of measure, a different style ( especially the architecture in Los Angeles ).

2. Working independently/multi-tasking

Working for a big firm as my host company comes also with more responsibilities, more projects, and opportunities. That’s why it’s pretty common that every employee works on several projects at the same time. It’s very important to manage your time to meet your deadlines. I haven’t had this kind of experience before so it took me some time to get used to it.

3. Technical/computer skills

Since this is not my first work experience, I’ve been pretty skilled and have been using many different softwares before. However, I knew that the American market is focused mostly on working in Revit. I haven’t used it much before but I’ve learned a lot since my first day here. Now I can say that I’m quite advanced and I have also learned a lot about construction administration and gained some experience in a more technical domain of architecture that will be very useful for me in the future.

4. Social network

Working abroad thanks my experience with Architect-US, especially in a foreign language speaking environment is not always easy, however it allows me to connect with people and architects from all over the world. Especially in the US and big multi-cultural cities like Los Angeles, there’s a great opportunity to meet people from various cultural backgrounds. I have co-workers from many different countries/continents as well. Thanks to my host company I’ve also been participating in the meetings with the clients and engineers, learning how things work and what is every phase of designing process like.

5. Finding my voice, confidence, motivation, passion

Day by day I am given more and more responsibilities and also the freedom to be creative and make my own decisions in the designing process. It has helped me enormously to have the courage to say my opinion, to rediscover my voice as a professional architect, my passion for architecture and motivation to work harder. This opportunity has also made me step out of my comfort zone and helped me to become more confident. The last thing I’ve learned in my experience with Architect-US (a very important one ) is to never give up on your dream no matter how though the way to make it come true could be.  

Architect-US is an organization dedicated to giving all international students, recent graduates, and young professionals the chance to pursue an internship /professional training in the United States as part of the U.S. Government's J-1 Exchange Visitor Program. While sponsoring many fields of education and careers, Architect-US specializes in helping Architects from around the world gain experience in the USA by assisting them in finding opportunities.

You can contact the Architect-US team Monday through Friday from 7am to 4pm EST by emailing training@architect-us.com or calling +1 347 708 1790 or +34 675 383 100.  

No, but Architect-US partners with ASSE (Aspire), CENET, and the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce official sponsor (that are the Department of State Designated J1 Visa Sponsor) - it processes the official J1 Visa paperwork and conducts Host Company Site Visits and Verification Calls as part of the J1 Visa application process to make sure the J1 participant’s Program runs smoothly as a J1 Visa sponsor.

Architect-US covers the Health Insurance for the entire period of the J1 Visa Internship / Training Program with Global Benefits Group. This is considered a great benefit by American companies as it is one less cost they would have to worry about if they take you on board!

Since its inception, Architect-US has being endorsed by key institutions such as the American Institute of Architects, the Polytechnic University, the Bartlett School of Architecture, L'École Nationale d'Architecture Paris Belleville, the IE School of Architecture, the Spanish Consul in New York and the Office of Cultural Affairs of the Spanish Embassy in Washington among other remarkable Universities and Organizations. You can read the article about us in ArchDaily HERE! Just in 2017, over 108 Architect-US participants from 30 different nationalities were gaining professional experience at leading companies in the Industry such as OMA, SOM, AECOM, Kieran Timberlake and Shop Architects, among 80 others. You can read the testimonials of our Participants HERE.

Yes, unfortunately, you can't apply for the J1 Visa on your own. You will need to present the DS-2019 form in order to be eligible to apply for the J1 Exchange Visitor Visa at the U.S. Consulate / Embassy but only a J1 Visa Sponsor can issue this specific form.