Becoming a software architect is something that requires a lot of patience and hard work, but it can be done. In this article, we’ll go over some of the steps you need to take in order to become a software architect.
The first step to becoming a software architect is to get your degree. In order to become an architect, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in architecture or engineering. Additionally, many states require that architects have at least 5 years of experience before they’re allowed to practice independently.
Once you have your degree, you’re ready for your second step: finding employment as an intern or entry-level employee at an architectural firm. This may seem like it’s not necessary, but it’s actually one of the most important parts of becoming a software architect because it will give you hands-on experience working with other architects who know what they’re doing and can help guide you along the way while you learn how everything works together behind-the-scenes in real life applications.
After working as an intern or entry-level employee for awhile (usually around three months), you should start looking into getting certification from one of three major organizations: [name of organization], [name of organization],
How To Become Software Architect
Becoming a software architect can be an exciting career path in a field that’s constantly evolving. Your career journey may include years of similar work experience, career development, and an effort to refine skills and acquire new ones. If you’re considering becoming a software architect, it’s helpful to learn more about this career path and how you can get started. In this article, we explore how to become a software architect, discuss what they do, share their salary and some valuable skills for the role, and provide a sample job description.
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How to become a software architect
Follow these six steps to learn how to become a software architect:
1. Earn a high school diploma
Most software architects are required to have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. If you’re considering becoming a software architect, begin to think about attending a college to pursue a bachelor’s degree. If this is your plan, ensure that you put in your best efforts to sustain a good GPA throughout high school. Also, prepare sufficiently for your SAT or ACT so that you may be competitive when applying for colleges.
2. Consider earning a degree
Although a bachelor’s degree isn’t always required to become a software architect, earning one may make you a more competitive candidate when applying for jobs and seeking development opportunities. Earning a bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas can provide you with much of the fundamental training required to become a software architect:
- computer science
- software engineering
- software technology
- information technology
Related: 23 Careers in IT to Explore (With Duties and Salaries)
3. Begin your career as a software engineer or developer
Working as a software engineer or developer can help you learn relevant skills and knowledge in technology. Use this time to network with others in your field, partake in training and earn certifications, making you more competitive for a software architect role later on. When you get a job as a software engineer or developer, consider meeting with your employer where you discuss your career goals and ideal career trajectory. This way, they can inform you of how to develop into an ideal candidate for the software architect position in the future.
Related: How to Become a Software Engineer
4. Partake in training
As a general guideline, software architects may partake in training opportunities to acquire new skills and abilities. Some popular pieces of training to consider include:
- DevOps: Development operations, or DevOps, is a set of practices intended to speed up the software development process at every step. Trained software architects typically implement and manage DevOps practices and solutions within their development team to increase efficiency.
- Systems design: Software architects design and maintain the structure of a software project. Training in UML or systems design prepares a software architect for their role in the development team.
- Programming: Software architects usually train in computer programming and have a working knowledge of multiple programming languages and frameworks.
Software architects may receive training in these topics on the job with their company or off the job at seminars and conferences. Many software architects attend workshops and conferences to keep up to date with a continually changing technological industry.
5. Acquire certifications
There are countless certifications that a software architect may obtain. Required certifications vary depending on the development team and the projects the software architect may oversee. Here are two valuable certificates a software architect may pursue:
OMG-Certified UML Professional 2 (OCUP 2)
The OCUP 2 is a certification in unified modelling language (UML) offered by The Object Management Group. Most software architects work primarily with UML when designing project structures. A certificate in working with UML shows that a software architect is capable of systems design and dedicated to their role in the development process. If you plan to earn an OCUP 2 certification, pass the Foundation exam before earning Advanced and Expert certifications.
Microsoft Azure Certification
Microsoft’s Azure certification program can serve as general development and operations (DevOps) certification for software architects. A comprehensive understanding of the DevOps process is a requirement for modern software developers in any role. There are nine Azure certification exams you can take to show a thorough knowledge of the service.
6. Earn a promotion
Once you gain experience in the field and build a strong portfolio, it’s time for you to seek a promotion to a software architect. Remember that software architects often have four to eight years of experience in the field before achieving their position. Consider directly asking your employer what you can do to earn a promotion to a software architect. Your employer may offer you the opportunity for advancement without having to search for a software architect position elsewhere.
Related: How to Get a Promotion in 11 Steps (Plus Tips)
What does a software architect do?
A software architect is an expert-level software developer who communicates with businesses and clients to design and execute solutions with a team of software engineers. A software architect makes executive software design decisions. They often act as a designer, developer, and communicator. Some responsibilities may include:
- researching and evaluating technical standards and tools for a project and determining which ones are the optimal choice
- separating a project’s goal into several more minor solvable problems
- communicating business requirements, criteria, and needs to software development teams
- designing and revising a project’s structure and UML diagram
- distributing development tasks to a group of software engineers
- quality assurance testing segments of project code and checking for errors
- writing sections of code as part of development in a project
Average salary of a software architect
Salaries for software architects vary based on location and experience. As you gain more experience in the field, you can try and negotiate a higher salary. According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a software architect is $113,797 per year.
Foundational skills for a software architect
Aside from learning how to become a software architect, developing new skills can help prepare you for the role. In a constantly evolving field, keeping up to date with the latest trends, software, and technologies is crucial to your success. Some valuable skills for a software architect include:
- Problem-solving: The primary responsibility of a software architect is to act as a problem-solver. A business provides the architect with a broad request, and the architect is required to separate the proposal into more minor distinct problems they can solve with the software development team.
- Organization: Software architects often create and update large and intricate UML diagrams of a software project as it proceeds through the production cycle. Understanding designing requires an architect to think systematically and keep detailed sections of a project organized.
- Attention to detail: A software architect ensures the functionality of each segment of a project and can quickly check project code for quality assurance to prevent any code issues from reaching a project’s release. On large-scale projects, this requires the architect to accurately and rapidly read thousands of lines of code and have the insight to know what common errors to seek.
- Leadership: Software architects oversee the development of a project and manage the responsibilities of a team of developers, each completing distinct parts of an application. Coordinating the work of a group of developers and ensuring that each segment of a project meets the design standards requires strong leadership abilities.
- Communication: Software architects often decide about a project that balances the needs of the business and the capabilities of the development team. To create a healthy compromise, architects effectively communicate the requirements of a project to their team and develop a reasonable timeline for project completion based on their teams’ suggestions.
- Creativity: The ability to process a situation in unique and creative ways allows a software architect to find alternative solutions to issues that arise during the development of a project and helps reinforce their problem-solving abilities. Creativity can also assist a software architect in designing a project’s UML structure.
