Landscape+Architect

By: Mario Marino

Plan and design land areas for such projects as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.

INTERESTS

Artistic - landscape architecture is an artistic occupation frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

TASKS COMPLETED IN THIS CAREER

A landscape architect's responsibilities generally include:


 * 1**. Prepare site plans, specifications, and cost estimates for land development, coordinating arrangement of existing and proposed land features and structures.
 * 2**. Confer with clients, engineering personnel, and architects on overall program.
 * 3**. Compile and analyze data on conditions such as location, drainage, and location of structures for environmental reports and landscaping plans.
 * 4**. Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, approve quality of materials and work, and advise client and construction personnel.

REQUIRED SKILLS

A landscape architect must use these skills to carry out their jobs effectively:


 * Time Management** - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
 * Coordination** - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
 * Active Listening** - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
 * Reading Comprehension** - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
 * Judgment and Decision Making** - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
 * Critical Thinking** - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
 * Active Learning** - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE

In order for a landscape architect to preform at their highest degree, they should have an in depth understanding of:


 * Design** - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 * Building and Construction** - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
 * Administration and Management** - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 * Engineering and Technology** - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 * Computers and Electronics** - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 * Mathematics** - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 * Geography** - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

REQUIRED EDUCATION

This career requires a good deal of preparation, through both in school and on the job training:


 * Education**: Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
 * Training**: Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

AVAILABLE TRAINING PROGRAMS

- __Astronom__y - A general program that focuses on the planetary, galactic, and stellar phenomena occurring in outer space. Includes instruction in celestial mechanics, cosmology, stellar physics, galactic evolution, quasars, stellar distribution and motion, interstellar medium, atomic and molecular constituents of astronomical phenomena, planetary science, solar system evolution, and specific methodologies such as optical astronomy, radioastronomy, and theoretical astronomy. - __Astrophysics__ - A program that focuses on the theoretical and observational study of the structure, properties, and behavior of stars, star systems and clusters, stellar life cycles, and related phenomena. Includes instruction in cosmology, plasma kinetics, stellar physics, convolution and non-equilibrium radiation transfer theory, non-Euclidean geometries, mathematical modeling, galactic structure theory, and relativistic astronomy. - __Planetary Astronomy and Science__ - A program that focuses on the scientific study of planets, small objects, and related gravitational systems. Includes instruction in the structure and composition of planetary surfaces and interiors, planetary atmospheres, satellites, orbital mechanics, asteroids and comets, solar system evolution and dynamics, planetary evolution, gravitational physics, and radiation physics. - __Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other__ - Any instructional program in astronomy and astrophysics not listed above. WAGES

Average wages for this profession in the US last year: $31 for entry level positions, $63 for an experienced workers.

OUTLOOK

There is a poor outlook for careers in this field, the estimated jobs in 2013 are the same as they are today, which means there are little to no openings.

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