Page "Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank" Paragraph 12

After failing to gain a job, Foster was led to John Beardstow, a local architect in Manchester.

After a successful interview, he gained a job as an assistant to a contract manager at the practice.

Foster was unsure how to become an architect, and if it was even possible coming from a working-class background where money for tuition was slim.

Nevertheless, he queried colleagues at the architecture practice for advice on how to become an architect.

Advised to create a portfolio to hand to an architecture school, he took various drawings, such as perspective and shop drawings from Beardstow's practice as inspiration.

Foster intended to submit this portfolio to an architectural school in the hope of gaining, however inadvertently Beardstow was so impressed with the drawings he promoted the young Foster to the drawing department of the practice.

However after trying to convince Foster to stay and learn his trade as an architect at Beardstow's, Foster declined and wanted to pursue a place at an architecture school.