We Talk To Our New Apprentice

Veretec’s newest apprentice Daniel Stoyanov talks about what inspired him to become an architect and why he chose this particular pathway.

Hi Daniel. How long have you been an apprentice at Veretec and how is it going?

I started in September 2023. This is my first employment experience and I am really enjoying it. I have an assigned mentor but I feel I can ask anyone anything – everyone is very supportive and encourages me to consider different perspectives and angles on things

Why did you choose this route?

The apprentice route to becoming an architect is a relatively new one, and offers a really good alternative to the existing masters pathway. I’m in the first year of a four year postgraduate course at Oxford Brookes University. I’d started going down the more traditional route but decided I’d rather combine study and practice. It takes a bit longer – the first three years is effectively your part 2 – but I love the combination of academic and practical, and the focus on technical aspects and research, particularly in the first year.

What has been the highlight so far?

We have something called ‘intensives’. The university sets a research task that you carry out over a week on a live project, and which you do a presentation on. It will be something that can actually benefit the project like a study into daylight in office buildings and how it effects mood and well-being. So you might look at what makes an effective opening, and research alternatives and materials. I did a project on safety, based on a facility that aims to reduce knife crime, and I tested precedents used on courthouses and banks.

What inspired you to be an architect in the first place?

I’ve always been interested in construction and how things are put together. My dad is a carpenter and we have worked together on our house and building an extension. I love the aesthetic qualities of timber. I’ve always been very hands-on and have spent summers working on construction sites. I really enjoyed that and being part of a team.

Would you recommend the apprenticeship route for others

Definitely! Its hard work as you get marked on these short intensive bursts of concentrated activity. I think the normal masters route might give you a bit more breathing space, but this really suits me and I’m enjoying this period of exploration and immersion. It’s great to learn on the job and having an extra few years’ experience can be a real advantage in a competitive industry.

What do you enjoy most about our studio/people?

I enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the office alongside the vast amount of knowledge I am exposed to even more so since the apprenticeship has started as there is a focus on relaying ideas or answers to the practice.

Have you attended any apprenticeship events while representing Veretec?

I enjoy presenting Veretec through a series of modules at university – often to help analyse how decisions are made and the research and development that follow.

I have joined the studios Part 3 Mentoring Group to help me better understand how to approach study requirements, and particularly management and practice & law – this overlaps with modules I will do each year before my own Part 3 exam.

I have also completed an elective module called ‘Future Cities’ which focuses on using analysis, modelling, and simulation to solve issues important to the future of design and construction.

How is the work you’re doing for your apprenticeship benefited by being at an Executive / Delivery Architectural practice?

Being at Veretec gives me a unique insight and I get lots of interest from other students who are keen to learn more about delivery based practices, and the challenges and rewards that go with it.

At present, the bulk of my academic work is related to testing variable change in architectural features and to give a rigorous response to what we are testing.