Landscape Architecture

Throughout a landscape architecture course you gain extensive experience of designing on computer using specialised software, together with more general IT skills.  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.

Prospects

In 2010, six months after graduating, over half of landscape architecture graduates were in employment, either in the UK or overseas. A further 6% were combining work and study.

Of those going into work, nearly 57% entered professional and technical occupations. On graduating, most went to work in design practices, private or public, or for other environmental and development-related organisations.

Other fields of employment were managerial roles and education and a large number of landscape architecture graduates, like graduates in other subjects, went into stop-gap jobs, presumably to gain experience or earn money before travelling.

Where are the jobs?

According to Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector, the landscape business in the UK is substantial, with 37,800 small businesses employing 112,400 people - an average of three employees in each business, although 63% of these businesses are sole traders.

There are also larger employers: voluntary organisations, such as Groundwork; public sector bodies, such as the Forestry Commission; and large engineering and construction firms.

It seems to be generally agreed that there is an unmet demand for landscape architects and, with an ageing workforce (10% are over the age of 55), this imbalance is likely to continue and lead to even greater demand.

Landscape architects may choose to specialise in design or landscape management, landscape planning or landscape science, depending on their skills, experience and personal interests. After developing their expertise and building a reputation, they may choose to be employed or self-employed as consultants.

Employment areas you might consider exploring:

• Construction - considers the wide range of opportunities in the construction sector for graduates, routes in and how the sector is developing.
• Environment and agriculture - explorers a range of career possibilities in the environment and rural sector, looking at future trends and developments and routes in.
• Government and public administration - opportunities available in government bodies at all levels.

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Landscape architect
• Landscape gardener
• Landscape manager
• Landscape scientist

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Countryside manager
• Environmental consultant
• Environmental education officer
• Garden centre manager
• Nature conservation officer

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