BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL PATH: EXPANDING CAREER POSSIBILITIES IN ARCHITECTURE
This past week, we had the opportunity to attend — Beyond the Traditional Path: Expanding Career Possibilities in Architecture, a webinar sponsored by ACSA (Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture).
Below is the description —
Session Description:
What does an architectural education prepare students to do beyond conventional practice? How can the skills of design, critical thinking, storytelling, systems analysis, and creative problem-solving translate into new forms of work and impact?
This webinar will examine how architectural training equips individuals to work across disciplines and industries, from design strategy and development to filmmaking, entrepreneurship, public interest work, technology, research, and organizational leadership. The discussion will address shifting conditions within the profession, emerging opportunities for creative practice, and ways educators can better prepare students for a broad range of futures. Participants will hear perspectives on translating architectural skills into diverse career pathways while maintaining the core values of design inquiry, collaboration, and civic engagement.
Moderated by Jori Erdman, Professor and Program Coordinator of Architectural Design at James Madison University and Erin Pellegrino and Jake Rudin of Out of Architecture.
Out of Architecture is a career consulting firm and resource network set to exploring the values of skills both in and out of the architectural profession.
Out of Architecture
https://www.outofarchitecture.com/
Speakers Pellegrino and Rudin began the presentation by a the following statistic — 1 in 4 architects plan to stay in traditional practice. If we are to believe this, where do the 3 in 4 architects plan to land — i.e., the premise of the presentation. Next, they shared the following — an important value — “we believe in the value of architectural education.”
If you ask architecture students or architects, most will state that they appreciate their education in architecture; despite perhaps the arduous hours in studio, students and graduates still appreciate the design studio.
They continued by sharing the following graphic that begins to demonstrate the myriad of careers beyond the traditional role. As well, the additional graphic lists that many example job titles their clients have pursued.
Next, and perhaps most helpful to the audience is the sharing of Essential for Success from the Harvard Business School. Further, they share what is almost parallel from the Skills honed through architecture study and practice.
They finished with the following quote —
“Architecture is very good at making makers. We were molded into designers and thinkers who could synthesize a variety of skills and emerge with something elegant, in every sense of the term.
For more:
Out of Architecture (Book)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1032292946?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
Out of Architecture is both a call to reassess the architecture profession and its education, and a toolkit for graduates and working architects to untangle their skills, passions, and value from traditional architectural practice and consider alternate pathways.
Careers in Architecture and Beyond
https://www.archcareersguide.com/careers-in-architecture-beyond/
More than anything, it provides insight to the myriad of career paths one can pursue with a degree in architecture. Careers in Architecture and Beyond is just the latest of publications, articles, and resources that highlight careers beyond traditional practice.
Thus, as was shared in the webinar, there are many choices (career paths for those with an architectural education; one thought brought forth by Jake Rudin is that the list of possible career paths be shared with incoming architecture students. This is a far contrast shared by my opening semester by the dean — “look to the student on your left and to the right; neither will be here when you graduate.
Remember, ARCHCareersGuide.com is here to help you in becoming an architect or a myriad of other careers. Check out our resource listed above or our Beyond Architecture section.
NOTE:
This webinar is Part One of a two-part series featuring Out of Architecture. Our next session (Fall 2026) will be geared to students and recent graduates co-sponsored by AIAS and NOMAS.