<p>I'm planning on getting into architecture and I was just wondering what percent of graduates are able to obtain a position at a firm? I've heard the demand for Architects aren't so high right now but in five years is it to decrease or increase? Also, which universities have the highest rate in obtaining positions while in school and upon graduating?</p>
<p>My daughter got her BArch from Penn State this year. From what she tells me, about 20% of her class has found employment at arch firms so far.</p>
<p>It is hard for schools to keep track of the employment among their graduates, so all I have ever seen is anecdotal evidence. Clearly the better the reputation of the school, the smaller the class size, and the better the regional economy, the better the chance that you will get a job. So if i wanted to maximize my chances I would either go for schools with national reputations (Cornell, Rice, etc.), or outstanding regional schools in areas with long term growth projections (UT Austin, etc.).</p>
<p>Will things be better in five years? OMG, they have to be! I don’t see how it can get much worse. Even if the economy does not grow significantly there will still be pressure for firms to hire new graduates to balance out the experience levels in their offices. It will still be tough for the next year or two, but I think things will be OK five years from now.</p>
<p>rick</p>
<p><a href=“Out-of-Work Architects Turn to Other Skills - The New York Times”>Out-of-Work Architects Turn to Other Skills - The New York Times;
<p>There’s no question that it’s tough out there, but a lot of the responsibility for getting hired lies with applicant, not the school. All schools have successes and failures, and to me the key is in the student’s assertiveness, not the school’s track record.</p>
<p>Firms tend to hire locally and hire from the same schools that their partners attended.
What can you do? First, start building your resume. Seek out summer jobs and internships at architecture firms. Be prepared for the possibility that these may be unpaid, or miserably paid. </p>
<p>Second, network. Attend conferences, alumni/ae events, meet real life architects. Talk to recent grads.</p>
<p>Third, take advantage of your college’s career counseling department. </p>
<p>Fourth, look for leadership positions within your architecture department, mentoring, assisting. Make sure your professors know you personally enough to write excellent recommendations.</p>
<p>Your career starts well before you graduate, but you have to be an active participant.</p>