MENTORSHIP

The team at JCA is made up of a dynamic mix of passionate architects and graduates, united by a shared commitment to design excellence and continual learning. The scale of our firm fosters a collaborative culture where mentorship happens naturally and flexibly. 

At the heart of this is Director John Cockings, a dedicated advocate for nurturing the next generation of architects. Through a cooperative and consultative approach, John actively supports the professional growth and self-reliance of emerging talent, empowering them to thrive within the architectural profession.

01 TAILORED FRAMEWORK

Instead of imposing rigid tasks or formulas, we’ve created a flexible and supportive environment where students, graduates and senior JCA team members can build meaningful mentoring relationships in a way that suits them best. There are no mandatory reports or KPIs, rather our focus is on trust, open dialogue and personal growth, noting that we all learn in a unique and experiential way. 

Mentees are encouraged to shape their own development journey, choosing to focus on areas most relevant to them, whether it’s architectural design, project management, detailed documentation or construction-phase services.

02 OWNERSHIP

We empower students and graduates to take ownership of their roles and the work they produce, helping them gradually build confidence, self-reliance and the foundational skills needed to become future architects. Mentees are encouraged to understand the significance of their contributions within the broader context of project delivery, and how these experiences shape and support their long-term architectural journey.

03 HOLISTIC

The scale of our firm and the complexity of projects enables close, hands-on collaboration between students, graduates and directors. The practice offering invaluable, real-world experience across all phases of a project, including post occupation services [a source for invaluable client feedback].  Mentees are involved in projects across all phases: from initial planning and concept design through to planning approvals, construction and post-completion. 

Gaining exposure to the entire project lifecycle is rare and provides young architects with comprehensive understanding of architectural practice.

MENTORSHIP CASE STUDY

Zef Wijayanto
Architect
12764 NSW ARB

The John Cunningham Student Centre provided Zef with invaluable opportunities for professional growth. He joined JCA in 2018 and immediately began working with the team on the JCSC: from planning submissions, to tender documentation and pre contract negotiations in 2019, construction documentation in 2020, construction stage services that began in 2021 and finally, practical completion in 2024.

Being involved from inception to completion, he gained a rare and valuable insight to the entire process, especially the contractural dynamics and tensions within a project. The project helped him to successfully register as an architect in July 2024, which is a testament to JCA’s commitment to mentoring young architects. 

Read more about the project here >