At this time of year when architecture students are sleeplessly putting together a portfolio of their year’s work, it’s difficult to hear reports that we could be a ‘lost generation’, and that all our hard work is going to lead to an unskilled job or unemployment.

In this previously affluent industry turned fiercely competitive, we will need to adjust our route into practice by enhancing our CVs with worldly knowledge and life experience, and by broadening our understanding and execution of Architecture. 

We should be writing, thinking, gaining hands on building/practice experience, volunteering for local community design/build projects, seeking out international work experience and getting our ideas out there. These are all vitally important to make yourself and your ideologies stand out on the interview circuit.  But you can’t forget that in the time it takes you to gain all this worldly knowledge, there will be new kids on the block with newer advancing knowledge, better computer skills, and unfortunately a healthy new dose of talent.

Aside from joining the pack to dwell on the failings of our government and making the effort to vote next time, it is up to us as prospective architects to understand how these economic changes affect our industry and our clients.

The average Joe cannot afford to move, and the above average Joe would be wise to enhance what he’s got, be it a house, office or other. Retrofitting of existing buildings is about to become a major activity in the UK in response to not only the recession, but also global concerns for climate change, resource depletion and fuel poverty. Investigations into ultra-low cost construction, ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, self-sufficient building services, economic use of outside spaces, compact living, and adaptability/multi-purpose spaces/rental accommodation, would be on-target too.

It is with this understanding and forward thinking regarding the recession and making our buildings work harder for us, that we can shine to prospective employers. We need to show that the financial benefits of hiring a graduate employee who is in tune with the current climate, and has the skills to help architectural practices work through it effectively, will far out-weigh the initial investment.

Well, here’s hoping…

Nadine Dommett is studying a BA in architecture and is in her second year at the University of Plymouth