Published on: 2026-10-05
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Is it possible to gain your first professional experience, build a portfolio, find a job in your specialty during your studies, and become a leading specialist after graduation? The story of a graduate from SPbGASU Nina Gagulina shows that yes. Her journey began with an interest in 3D modeling back in school, continued with academic projects and competitions, and today Nina helps project organizations master information modeling technologies.
Nina Gagulina
In 2026, Nina graduated with a bachelor’s degree from SPbGASU in the field of “Construction,” specializing in “Industrial and Civil Construction,” and became a leading BIM specialist in architectural and structural solutions. At the same time, she does not intend to stop there: Nina is currently studying for a master’s degree at SPbGASU in the program “Programming and BIM Technologies in Construction” and is participating in research work.
Her story is about how to take advantage of the university so that by the time you get your diploma, you not only have a certificate of education but also experience that might interest an employer.
Start with what interests you
Nina’s interest in design appeared long before entering university. In the eighth grade, she studied at the Academy of Digital Technologies in Saint Petersburg and prepared for WorldSkills Juniors in the field of “Virtual and Augmented Reality Development.”
Back then, the schoolgirl was creating an apartment plan, building a three-dimensional model according to it, and then developing a mobile application for viewing the design project. It was there that she was first introduced to CAD systems and 3D modeling.
By the time she finished school, Nina already understood that she wanted to pursue design, so she chose SPbGASU.
In the first year, in 2022, during computer graphics classes, she got acquainted with nanoCAD. The students were designing cottages, and the program gradually became a familiar tool in their academic work. Later, Nina used it in coursework projects throughout her bachelor’s degree.
“It is not necessary to immediately choose exactly who you will become: it is much more important to find an area of activity that interests you and develop in it,” says Nina Gagulina.
Not to limit oneself to the assignment “for credit”
One of the projects that later won an award at the “CAD-Perspective-2026” competition started as an ordinary course assignment.
Nina together with a classmate By Polina Filippova conducted an examination of the St. Petersburg income house built in 1879 at 15 2nd Krasnoarmeyskaya Street. The students worked directly on the site for several months: they took measurements, photographed the building, recorded defects, and assessed its technical condition.
Then, based on the results of the survey, they prepared a report and created an information model of the building in nanoCAD.
Moreover, modeling was not a mandatory part of the assignment. The students themselves decided to first build an information model and only then obtain the necessary drawings based on it.
“It was interesting to watch how a digital model gradually appeared based on our measurements and photographs,” Nina recounts.
Thus, the term paper transformed from a purely academic assignment into a professional project. This is a fundamental difference for a student: work done solely for a grade ends after submission. A good project can continue to work for you—in your portfolio, in competitions, in interviews.
Educational projects – at professional competitions
Nina began participating in competitions while she was still studying. At “CAD-Perspective-2026,” she presented two works.
The first is a project for the survey of an income house, completed together with Polina Filippova. The second is a diploma project of the Cathedral of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God in Vsevolozhsk.
For her diploma, Nina chose an unrealized cathedral project. Based on the architectural drawings, she was to develop four sections: architectural, structural calculation and design, organizational and technological, and technical and economic.
Working with the building’s non-standard elements proved especially challenging. The domes, stained glass windows on the drums, and the bas-relief on the facade required independent modeling and the creation of custom parametric objects.
There were almost no examples in open sources of organizing the construction of cathedrals and ready technological maps for the installation of the dome system. Therefore, the solutions had to be developed based on regulatory documents and consultations with the supervisor.
As a result, the competition jury awarded the project a special prize for “Unique Architectural Solution in the nanoCAD Environment.” The coursework on the house survey also received an award.
According to Nina, this once again confirmed that academic work can be of interest not only to the instructor but also to the professional community.
A portfolio opens the door to the profession
Another important milestone in Nina’s history was finding her first job. It started with a competition on nanoCAD knowledge, which the company “Nanosoft” held at the Career Day at SPbGASU. Nina participated in it twice: in her second year she took third place, and in her third year, first place.
After her victory, she was invited to submit her resume. Soon, the head of the technical department of the company where she works now contacted her and invited her for an interview.
By that time, Nina already had something to show. She gathered her academic projects and achievements into a portfolio, including her wins in competitions.
“The manager was particularly interested in my knowledge of software products. In the end, we realized that we were a good match, and I joined the team,” Nina recalls.
Thus, the competition, which could have remained just a line in the list of achievements, became one of the steps towards the first job.
That is why, according to Nina Gagulina, a student should not wait until graduation to start building a professional portfolio. A course paper, diploma, competition project, participation in research – all of this can become part of the future professional story.
You can combine studying and working
Nina started working while she was still an undergraduate. At first, she was a part-time CAD specialist, and her tasks were assigned so that work would not interfere with her studies: at the company “Nanosoft,” they are understanding towards employees who continue their education – if necessary, the workload can be adjusted so that the student has time to complete university assignments.
Nina now works as a leading BIM specialist in architectural and structural solutions. She conducts training, communicates with representatives of design organizations, and helps specialists master information modeling tools.
At the same time, professional development did not replace formal education. After completing her bachelor’s degree, Nina continued her studies in the master’s program at SPbGASU in “Programming and TIM Technologies in Construction.”
A continuous chain emerges: interest – study – practice – project – competition – portfolio – first job – further development.
“Try it!”
Nina is confident that students should not be afraid of competitions and new challenges, even when it seems that they lack sufficient experience.
“For me, competitions are an opportunity to earn a reputation, learn to solve non-standard tasks, and understand what I want to do. In my opinion, such experience means more than just a line on a resume,” she says.
Her own path confirms this. The first competition gave experience, the next attempt – victory. Educational projects became the foundation of the portfolio. The portfolio helped attract the employer’s interest. The job provided an opportunity to gain practical experience even before finishing her bachelor’s degree. And after graduation, Nina was already able to move on to the next professional level.
“Therefore, starting a career is not necessarily right after graduation. Sometimes the first step is simply not limiting yourself to the mandatory program, trying your hand in a competition, making a course project a little better than required, and keeping a job you can be proud of. It is precisely from such small steps that a professional path gradually forms,” summarizes Nina Gagulina.
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