Skills, Steps, and Career Tips for Aspiring Enterprise Architecture Professionals. Have you ever thought about becoming an enterprise architect but felt it was out of reach? Maybe you’ve heard that EA is only for senior professionals with decades of experience. Or perhaps you come from a business background and wonder if a transition into EA is even possible. The good news? Becoming an enterprise architect doesn’t require being a Renaissance genius or mastering every domain from software development to business strategy.
hmm.. Interesting and very relevant article personally. I've thought enterprise architecture as a career path for a long time and I've put most of my eggs in to that basket in university. I have gained 6 months experience as a IT-architect trainee at public sector and both of my thesis at university are focused on enterprise architecture.
Lately I have been having second thoughts about this career path as FIRST option. Like you said enterprise architecture is something that you build on rather than fall into. It is hard to get practical experience and structural knowledge without doing something more "light" first. There is only few EA trainee places here and there and it is hard to stand out without vast experience in IT.
I am now trying to decide should still keep pushing towards EA as first option as I graduate this year or should I focus on other things and think EA later in my career as I have more knowledge and experience.
Your background is already a great start - many aspiring architects don’t have architecture-related theses or trainee experience. I was lucky to land straight into an EA consulting role at Accenture after university, largely because I had researched EA in an industry-collaboration project for two years. Your foundation is strong!
If an EA role isn’t immediately available, gaining experience in related areas like business analysis, solution architecture, business process modeling, and IT governance is a smart move. These roles keep you close to EA while building practical experience that stands out on your CV.
Also, consider opportunities in consulting. Many firms offer entry points into EA through business consulting, IT strategy, digital transformation, or solution architecture roles, where you can gain broad exposure and transition into EA over time.
My advice? Keep EA as a long-term goal, but stay open to adjacent roles that help you develop the right skills. A varied background will make you a stronger architect in the long run, and having a wider set of experiences gives you more options when applying for jobs.
hmm.. Interesting and very relevant article personally. I've thought enterprise architecture as a career path for a long time and I've put most of my eggs in to that basket in university. I have gained 6 months experience as a IT-architect trainee at public sector and both of my thesis at university are focused on enterprise architecture.
Lately I have been having second thoughts about this career path as FIRST option. Like you said enterprise architecture is something that you build on rather than fall into. It is hard to get practical experience and structural knowledge without doing something more "light" first. There is only few EA trainee places here and there and it is hard to stand out without vast experience in IT.
I am now trying to decide should still keep pushing towards EA as first option as I graduate this year or should I focus on other things and think EA later in my career as I have more knowledge and experience.
Any thoughts or tips?
Your background is already a great start - many aspiring architects don’t have architecture-related theses or trainee experience. I was lucky to land straight into an EA consulting role at Accenture after university, largely because I had researched EA in an industry-collaboration project for two years. Your foundation is strong!
If an EA role isn’t immediately available, gaining experience in related areas like business analysis, solution architecture, business process modeling, and IT governance is a smart move. These roles keep you close to EA while building practical experience that stands out on your CV.
Also, consider opportunities in consulting. Many firms offer entry points into EA through business consulting, IT strategy, digital transformation, or solution architecture roles, where you can gain broad exposure and transition into EA over time.
My advice? Keep EA as a long-term goal, but stay open to adjacent roles that help you develop the right skills. A varied background will make you a stronger architect in the long run, and having a wider set of experiences gives you more options when applying for jobs.