Architecture

Over the course of your degree you develop a wide mix of subject-specific and technical skills, you should consider these skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.

Working as a Structural Engineer

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Prospects

A 2010 HESA survey of 2009 graduates indicates that six months after graduation, 50% of architecture graduates were in employment. Of these, around 61% were working in professional and technical occupations, which include those related to architecture.

The statistics also show that a small number of architecture graduates entered non-related professions in areas such as retail, catering, clerical, marketing and sales. Just under 4% were commercial, industrial or public sector managers.

Where are the jobs?

Architecture graduates commonly become architects, architectural technologists, interior designers, building surveyors, project mangers and web designers.

Graduates may be employed by small firms with fewer than ten employees. Public sector employers, such as local authorities and housing associations together employ a significant proportion of the profession and some large organisations such as banks and supermarkets may have in-house architectural teams.

Examples of possible jobs can be found through websites such as those of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) and ConstructionSkills.

For further information about possible employers it is worth looking into the following employment areas:

• Construction
• Property
• Engineering
• Information technology

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Architect
• Architectural technologist
• Interior and spatial designer

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Town planner
• Building surveyor
• Higher education lecturer
• Historic buildings inspector/conservation officer
• Landscape architect
• Planning and development surveyor
• Production designer, theatre/television/film
• Web designer

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

You can find more about the skills you develop during your course, the jobs listed above, plus case studies and where to find these jobs at Prospects.

Included with the permission of AGCAS. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk