If you've been contemplating your career trajectory as an architecture graduate during these challenging times you've probably thought about your Part 2 if being an architect is something you may want to pursue. You've just completed your degree and finding work is challenging, the competition is even more competitive and it seems like the safest thing to do is go back to university a safe haven where you can put the finding work struggle on pause.
After reflecting and talking to those who've passed through the struggle of a market crash a decade a go, they too faced the same struggles and have offered some interesting advice. Don't go back to school. It sounds risky, doesn't it? The thought of delaying getting your Part 2 and then having every other endeavour to get closer to being a Part 3, a fully qualified architect even further away seems even more daunting. If you thought it would be a struggle to get a job out of the degree, it would be even more difficult if you have a Part 2 and no experience to go with it.
I know how tough this may sound. But for now, as much as it may seem like a hard pill to swallow it is the truth. If you don't have the experience, it is going to make things harder down the line to get the roles with the necessary experience when you've been busy fantasizing what it is like to be in practice.
There are so many more roles out there for Part 2s
That may be the reason that pushes you to apply whether or not you have work experience after degree but you'll be setting yourself up for failure. We all know that even if it doesn't appear on your cv the experience you get in the industry greatly benefits your perception of the industry altogether even if it is no longer than two weeks. Now more than ever the workplace is shifting, working remotely has become more of what employers are doing and freelancing has become an option for so many out of work. Is it really the safest option for you, the fresh graduate who has the experience that is no longer than 2 weeks at a firm you worked for years ago? Think about it.
I feel like I'm already behind
Now that is a phrase you'll slowly rid yourself of the longer you are out of university and the more you talk with others who are working. There is no right time to do anything, there is no deadline once you finish your degree, only the one you place on yourself. And that goes for everything you will ever do. There is a criterion, a set of exams and qualifications you need to complete but there is no expiry date on when to complete any of them. The pressure to get things done because everyone else is doing it will only pull you back. You need to get work experience, you need to really know what you are getting yourself into. Your masters are not the same as your bachelors and neither is finding work. You don't need to rush any of this. You literally have the rest of your life to complete it. Remember to become a qualified architect you need to do your part 2 and part 3, but being an architect doesn't equate to you being a successful person because of a title, that can only come with experience of what it takes to contribute to the built environment for the better. And that isn't a walk in the park either. Experience shapes you, and in turn, you shape the world around you slowly and surely. Working for an architectural practice is hard at the moment but the hardest part is starting, the lessons you have yet to learn are around the corner. And working in the industry will give you a taste that will help you determine whether this is the career path you want to be taking.
Have you considered alternatives?
I don't mean an alternative path entirely but one that entails working and studying. Recently, there has been a rise in what is called the Architectural Apprenticeship, an opportunity for students to take on a different path into an architecture practice. There is Level 6 - this is degree level and ensures you get the experience you need whilst studying for your degree. But if like me, you've surpassed that you may consider the Level 7 which is a combination of Part 2 and Part 3. Many leading universities and architecture practise are taking students on board on this new way of learning. So if you are eager to study but want the experience that you lack this may be the route you should take. It more or less encompasses the same time frame and you'll be a qualified architect with support of a practice that will support you. As this is a fairly new approach you should give a listen to this podcast where Emily Foster, a current Level 6 Architectural Apprentice at AHMM gives us an idea of what it means to take this route.
With all this in mind, you can see why this isn't a move to take lightly but one that you should take with care and reflection. Of course, your decisions are your own and every circumstance is different. It is simply a reminder that external (or rather internal) expectations/pressure shouldn't push you to make hasty decisions. I hope that it has given you something to think about and that you find the path or decision which feels best for you at this moment in time.
Podcast episode as mentioned above: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45ByO18IPNs