Suzanne Butler

Award winner Suzanne has designs on a career in architecture

Former Derby College Peak Award-winner Suzanne Butler is half way to an honours degree as she builds a career as an architect. Twenty-year-old Suzanne is currently an architectural technician with Derby-based Morrison Design. She is also in the third year of a six-year part-time BA Honours degree course in Architecture at the University of Lincoln. As a Derby College student, she managed to complete both years of her Professional Construction and the Built Environment Extended Diploma in just 12 months. And in recognition of her achievement – she also gained three distinction stars – Suzanne was named Construction Learner of the Year and Learner of the Year at the college’s Peak Awards. The teenager had previously landed an apprenticeship through Derby College with Derby-based Morrison Design and had been studying, part-time, for a construction diploma. But to ensure she had enough UCAS points to allow her to go to university, she dropped the apprenticeship and switched to the full-time course. Suzanne wrapped up the course in 12 months, while she worked with Morrison.

I did Year One and Year Two in the same year and I enjoyed the course very much. I just got it done.

It was very good for me – it got me into work and put me on the right path for my career, to eventually become an architect.

The lecturers were very helpful. They’ve come from the industry and they have the practical knowledge to support when the learners need assistance.

In the future I’d like to go on to take a Masters which is the second part of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) qualifications which I need.