Restless in the City?
Opportunities are missed every day. We have a tendency, as human beings, to make split second decisions based on packaging, rather than thoroughly investigating the contents. Perhaps we don’t have time, or perhaps our pre-conceived ideas colour our thoughts and we miss out on those golden opportunities.
For architects, one of those misconceptions is that regional areas simply do not hold opportunities worth pursuing. There seems to be an underlying expectation regional areas cannot possibly provide the same economic and career opportunities as found in the city, neither can regional areas support a high level of lifestyle.
As more and more people are discovering, this is simply not so.
Many of the disadvantages of working and living in the city are actually strengths of the rural experience.
Just imagine, a short walk or drive to work, starting and finishing at a reasonable time, being able to go home for lunch, a relaxed working atmosphere where overtime is not the norm and personal relationships with your colleagues and professional associates can be fostered.
Imagine a safe environment to raise your children, being able to afford to buy your own home, having time to spend with family and friends, and enjoying fantastic leisure opportunities. This is the reality of working in regional centres.
Regardless of all of this, the lure of the city seems to be winning over the “Seachange” and “Greenchange” phenomena, at least when it comes to young professionals.
Keystone Architects is a thriving practice based in Maryborough with great potential for growth. Yet, there are no names to place in the junior partner boxes on the corporate chart. Do misconceptions about professional isolation persist? Surely not in this age of communication technology.
Maryborough, with a population of around 26,000 people, is a major commercial and administrative centre for the Wide Bay, one of Australia’s fastest growing regions. As the hub of the Fraser Coast area, Maryborough provides a broad range of retail and commercial opportunities for over 92,000 people living within a 65km radius.
All of the general advantages of rural practice apply to Maryborough, but as a rural city, there are also many specific advantages.
Maryborough is a charming city, offering a huge variety of recreational, cultural and educational facilities.
With easy access to Fraser Island, proximity to the bush and rivers, clubs and quality facilities for a plethora of sports, and only 25 minutes to the ocean, Maryborough caters to every enthusiasm.
Cultural activities abound with the Brolga Theatre, Regional Arts Council, restaurants, cafes, and art galleries which accommodate touring exhibitions.
There are also excellent educational and child care facilities, with a full range of options available in both state and private facilities. Tertiary education is provided by Wide Bay TAFE and the University of Southern Queensland campus, which is in neighbouring Hervey Bay.
Since the upgrade of the Hervey Bay airport to international level, the region has experienced an accelerated level of growth, which analysts predict will be sustained well into the future, so much so that Hervey Bay has been dubbed “ the city of opportunity”. The Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show Hervey Bay as the 4th fastest growing local government area in Queensland and the 17th in Australia. It is estimated that the rate of growth will be sustained over the next 10 years.
For Keystone Architects, this has meant significant increase in the range and scale of our projects. As a general practice which has been established in Maryborough for 17 years, we have a track record of performance within a community that tends to regard newcomers with suspicion. Our established client base supports institutional, educational, aged care, commercial, industrial and all forms of residential projects.
This workload currently supports a full time staff of eight, which operates as a close knit team offering mutual support and guidance. As draughtsman, Michael Clifford, says, “I feel very lucky to be working with such a great team, who are not only extremely professional, but have a great attitude towards their work.”
Locally, there are staff available who have been trained to perform the administration and drafting roles of the business. What Keystone Architects lacks, in order to take advantage of the unquestionable potential for growth, is another qualified architect to join the team.
There is an opportunity here for someone to combine their experience with Keystone Architects established success. Someone who is interested in getting straight into building their career, rather than having to build a business from the ground up. Someone who is open to the future potential of business ownership. And someone who is willing to look past the unexamined perceptions to find that it is possible to have it all – business, career, lifestyle and family.
So there is only one more question to ask. Where are you?
For further information, phone Marian Graham on (07) 4123 1005.
