HPA celebrates Jia Yang’s qualification as an architect

HPA Architects are delighted to celebrate the achievement of Jia Yang, who has successfully qualified as an Architect - an important professional milestone reflecting eight years of commitment, resilience and hard work.

Jia has completed his Part 3 qualification, the final stage of the architectural qualification process, alongside his work at HPA, balancing professional responsibilities with the demands of study, examination and interview.

Achieving qualification is a significant moment in any architect’s career, marking the transition from student and assistant to fully qualified professional practitioner with the right to proudly use the legal title ‘Architect’.

Since joining HPA, Jia has become a valued member of the team, contributing positively to studio life and to the delivery of projects across the practice.

He has worked closely with colleagues on a range of live projects, supporting design development, technical coordination and project delivery, while steadily building the experience required for professional qualification.

HPA asked Jia to take a moment to reflect on his journey as a student by answering a few questions:

Q: What do you plan to do with all your spare time after completing eight years of combining study and full-time work?

A: Bouldering, hiking and cooking! I have saved a whole bank of cooking recipes that I have been wanting to try! And with the Lake District right on my doorstep, it is about time I started exploring the walks whilst I prepare for my Three Peaks Challenge in July!

Q: What are you most looking forward to about this next stage in your architectural journey?

A: The refurbishment of Palatine Hall for Chiptech - seeing the project that I have been working on for over a year go on site.

Q: Looking back, what has been the most challenging part of qualifying as an architect while working in practice?

A: Honestly, it is the time commitment! When you have finished university, you don’t consider that you need to spend some of your evenings or weekends on PEDR’s (Professional Experience and Development Record), case studies or exam prep - and after a day of work, it is the last thing you want to do!

Q: Is there a particular moment during your Part 3 journey that felt like a turning point for you?

A: The Part 3 weekends. So often in the Part 3 journey, you feel slightly isolated and intimidated, but going to the weekends and meeting all the other candidates - some of which I went to university with - lets you know that you aren’t alone and other people are going through it the same as you.

Q: Are there any projects or experiences at HPA that have been especially formative for you?

A: Knowing when to admit that you need to check on something you are unsure of! Often in architecture you feel like you need to know all the answers, but it is okay that you don’t know something, and always better to make sure.

Q: Are there any areas of architecture or practice you’re particularly keen to develop next?

A: Technical knowledge and Conservation – Conservation is something I am deeply interested in, and is what I want to continue developing my knowledge.

Q: What advice would you give to Part 1 or Part 2 students currently balancing work and study?

A: Take a couple of hours at the end of each week to do your PEDR’s- it is not something you expect to mount up, but believe me…it does!

Q: What helped you stay motivated during the more demanding stages of qualification?

A: You need to keep telling yourself that it is almost over. The Part 3 process is also for you to prove that you are a safe pair of hands, and sometimes you don’t feel like that is the case, but it is what you do every day when you come to work!

Jia’s achievement is a proud moment for him personally and for the practice as a whole. Supporting colleagues through their professional development is central to HPA’s ethos, and the team is pleased to see his hard work recognised with qualification this year.