A survey conducted by BD has revealed that 22% of qualified architects in the UK are currently unemployed. The survey included fully qualified architects as well as graduates who are still in training, and paints a bleak picture of the current state of the British architecture industry. Other trends which the survey highlights are a reduction in job security as many architects move to freelance work to stay active, and an average 30% wage reduction for those still in employment.
More results of the survey after the break
Among fully qualified architects:
- 22% of architects are unemployed
- 45% of architects are self-employed, highlighting a trend towards more freelance work
- Government statistics suggest that only 2% of registered architects are claiming unemployment benefits, however this survey reveals that many more are unemployed, with only 37% of unemployed respondents actually claiming benefits
- Among currently unemployed respondents, 31% were made redundant in the past 6 months
- Among all qualified respondents, 38% have been made redundant at some point since 2008
Among graduates in training:
- 44% are unemployed
- A further 18% are employed in a non-architecture-related business, meaning only 38% of graduates are making it into the profession
Whilst many have expressed shock at these statistics, BD's editor-in-chief Amanda Baillieu commented that "none of this makes surprising reading". Peter Drummond, the chief executive of BDP even believes that the situation could have been much worse, praising the adaptability of architects and saying "the fact that there haven’t been more casualties is amazing; it shows the profession is fundamentally strong."
Story via BD Online
