Career Field - Architecture & Planning

Architecture employment is tied to the economy. The economy is slowly improving and you can see an increase in hiring. Firms are hiring more mid-level architects and recently we've seen a slight increase in entry-level hires. Students completing their degrees are encouraged to begin their job search early and to utilize a variety of methods of job search.

Interestingly, one half of the licensed architects in California are self-employed. Approximately two thirds of practicing architects are in private practice, either self-emloyed or in small to large-sized firms. The remaining architects are employed in corporations (GAP, Safeway, Kaiser Permanente, etc.) institutions (universities, hospitals, etc.), and government agencies (Housing Urban Development, National Parks, Dept. of State, CalTrans, city public works departments).

Graduates from the Berkeley program also go into a variety of related career fields:

• Construction Management
• Planning
• Landscape Architecture
• Interior Design
• Graphic Design
• Computer Graphics/Animation
• Architectural/Engineering Review Analyst, commercial mortgage banking firm (financing for developers of large projects)
• Historic Preservation
• Real Estate Development

• AUTOCAD, computer aided design
• Drawing, sketching and diagramming
• Design potential
• Flexibility and willingness to work in a team environment
• Good communication skills, verbal to deal with the public and written for reports and correspondence
• Critical thinking, ability to analyze and evaluate
• Good interpersonal skills

After completing a bachelor's degree, many Cal graduates work/intern for several years to develop their technical and practical skills. After working for a year or two, some go on to obtain a Master's in Architecture degree. Others continue working and training in order to qualify for their state license. In order to practice architecture, you must be licensed by the state. This requires work experience or internship under a licensed architect and qualifying written and oral examinations. For information about licensing, see the California Architects Board.

After graduating with a bachelor's degree, Cal graduates find entry-level jobs as Assistant or Junior Architect, Assistant Designer, Intern Architect, Draftsman, CAD Operator.

With a bachelor's degree, you are not yet licensed, so you provide support for licensed architects. You make preliminary studies, take measurements, make record of existing conditions, make working drawings (by hand or CAD), develop details, build models, research code, complete field surveys, construction administration.

Read architect AnRa Hong Buchanan's advice, Finding and Preparing for a Successful [Architecture] Internship.

Prepare a strong resume and portfolio. Highlight your architecture related accomplishments and skills, and provide information that distinguishes you from other applicants.

Respond to posted job opening on CalJobs and the job binder housed in the College of Environmental Design, Hearst Field Annex. Contact local chapters of the American Institute of Architects (see "Student Organizations and Professional Association Information") and plan to attend their regular meetings, post a resume in their resume binder or online, and monitor their job binder or website for current entry level jobs. The AIA San Francisco Chapter's Job Board lists positions for experienced professionals and for recent college graduates. Talk to professionals in the field and develop a list of firms to contact directly.

Plan to attend the annual College of Environmental Design Job Fair in early March. The job fair is probably the best way to make connections in the field. One recent graduate made initial contact with her employer at the job fair and she advises "students to be confident and talkative with all of the firms. I really believe that the only reason I got this job was because I had a really good conversation with all three of the people who were at the Hart|Howerton booth."