Career options for Architecture students

What can I do with an Architecture degree?

Your architecture degree opens up many career options. To choose a career, consider the extent to which you want to use your architectural and design skills in your future career.

Careers using your specialist architectural skills

For those of you who have thoroughly enjoyed your degree and wish to continue working in the architectural field. You could consider occupations in the following fields:

• Architectural design
• Research

In order to become a registered Architect you will need to complete 2 years of on the job practical work experience. This means that your first job will probably be in a junior or ‘Graduate’ role in a private architectural practice, a larger architectural or development company, or a government organization.

There are many opportunities to specialize your skills and knowledge within the architectural industry. These specialities include, but are not limited to, domestic architecture, low-rise commercial, high-rise commercial, industrial, conservation and heritage buildings.

Architecture is an international field of work and graduates could consider the option of developing their knowledge, skills and work experience overseas.

Careers where your understanding of architecture and design is an advantage

Your architecture and design skills could be used to pursue a career in a related field, such as:

• Urban planning
• Urban design
• Property development
• Asset management
• Project management
• Interior Design
• Environmental Design
• Construction Management
• Furniture Design
• Industrial Design
• Teaching
• Construction Law
• Theatre Design
• Disaster Relief
• International Aid
• Conservation
• Graphic Design and Illustration
• Architectural Journalist
• Architectural Historian

Entry into these fields is through work experience or further study, or more usually a combination of both. To find out more about some of these occupations go to the Job Guide. To find out about postgraduate study in these areas go to www.arch.usyd.edu.au/ or for a national search of postgraduate courses go to www.thegoodguides.com.au/coursesearch.cfm

Careers using your other skills

There are many options which do not require an architectural background. Many employers are interested in the general skills you have gained through your degree (these skills are mentioned at the top of this page). The following are examples of organisations which look for the right combination of skills.

• Public Sector Departments
• Management Consultancies
• Market Research Companies

And many of the options in the previous section don't necessarily require undergraduate qualifications in Architecture.

• Check out which companies are interested in graduates from all disciplines by going to www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/newsevents/events_gradrecprog.shtml and looking in the table under ‘disciplines’ to see which companies list ‘all’.
• Find out more about options for graduates from all disciplines by going to the gradlink site at http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/25 and downloading their booklet for “All Graduates”.
• To find out more about employment in the public service go to http://www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/jobsearch/findjobs_public.shtml
• You can also go to myfuture.edu.au which is a unique, comprehensive, online career information service. myfuture.edu.au has a career exploration tool and careers information about occupations, education and training etc. as well as links to other resources. Alternatively, for a list of occupation descriptions go to the Job Guide

How can I find out more about my career options?

• The Graduate Careers Council has a whole series of booklets available on career options for graduates and about graduate opportunities in various fields of employment. One of their publications is “Careers for All Graduates” but they also have publications related to other areas such as film and theatre, teaching, journalism etc. http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/25
• Check out the relevant professional association. You can find them in a book on “Australian Associations” which is held at the Careers Centre or check out our links to professional associations online.
  Professional associations often have a lot of information on their web site about careers. Also, some employers prefer to recruit graduates they have met through the professional association activities rather than advertising a vacancy so it can be a good idea to consider joining a relevant association (some of them have student associations and/or offer student membership).
  For example, The Royal Australian Institute of Architects has lots of career related information including how to become a registered architect, career profiles and online job ads. They also have student pages and an events calendar for their NSW chapter.
• Check out relevant employers in your field of interest. For example, if you are interested in heritage buildings go to the NSW Heritage Office website. They have information on government policy and heritage issues, as well as a list of architects working in this field in NSW.
• If you are interested in working or studying overseas, do a web search for Architectural Associations in your country of interest. For example, The Royal Institute of British Architects has an online job vacancies site and a list of which Australian courses are recognised by the Institute.

Skills developed in an Architecture degree

Your Architecture degree opens up many career options. You have gained a high level of technical ability alongside general skills. Having an awareness of these skills and being able to give examples of them in applications and at interview will make you more employable.

The University aims to develop the following attributes in all students by the time they graduate:

• Scholarship
• Lifelong Learning
• Global Citizenship

For more information on Graduate Attributes go to www.itl.usyd.edu.au/GraduateAttributes/about.htm The Faculty of Architecture has listed the specific attributes of its graduates as:

• Research and Inquiry
• Information Literacy
• Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
• Ethical, Social and Professional Understanding
• Communication

For more information on these contextualized Graduate Attributes go to http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/GraduateAttributes/facultyGA.cfm?faculty=Architecture

Remember that embedded in these attributes are the more practical skills that employers look for when selecting employees. Consider how you can demonstrate these skills through your degree:

• Team work
• Data handling
• Time management
• Technical writing
• Logical thinking
• Accuracy
• Presentation
• Decision making

You might also be able to demonstrate these skills through your involvement in student societies, work experience, voluntary work and travel.

Graduate Statistics

Check out where Architecture graduates have found employment and their starting salaries.
Graduate destinations for those who graduated in 2006

Graduate Profiles

Here are some profiles of graduates:

Tips from academics

How would you advise students to go about networking?
“Organise study events whilst a student
Organise social events whilst a student
Keep track of your student colleagues
Organise your own class cohort to attend Alumni activities after graduation”
John Gero (Design Computing Professor)

Do you have some tips about getting into the industry?
“Search the University's Career Centre website
Go to public lectures where there are lecturers from industry and introduce yourself, ask them where there are positions available
Have a CV and portfolio ready with a variety of high quality work that can be shown
Attend trade shows and exhibitions and introduce yourself, ask if there are positions available
Look in the IT Section of Tuesday's Australian and the Careers Section of the Saturday SMH for advertised jobs
Try to make contact with earlier graduates and ask them to see if there are positions where they work
Attend course open days and course exhibitions and introduce yourself to industry participants, ask if there are positions available
Attend Alumni activities and introduce yourself, ask if they know where there are positions available”
John Gero (Design Computing Professor)

Useful links

Career Links

• Graduate Careers Council of Australia’s website
  http://www.graduatecareers.com.au
• National graduate destination statistics
  http://www.gradsonline.edu.au/gradsonline/
• Information on postgraduate study