What do you look for in a graduate?
Enthusiasm for the job, someone who's a team player, someone with determination who can motivate themselves and has technical ability.
What package are graduates offered?
The package would be dependent on position but the statutory package would include basic salary, holidays, the chance to participate in a pension scheme and the private medical insurance scheme.
Do you offer any opportunities for further professional training?
We support and co-ordinate continuing professional development training and offer training with such packages as CAD where necessary.
Do you offer flexible working?
Yes.
Sheppard Robson
How many graduates do you take on a year?
Eight to 12
What do you look for in a graduate?
Mainly potential. Also, someone with good technical skills, strong communication and professionalism skills, initiative, attention to detail and a team player who can take instruction.
What package are graduates offered?
Base salary in line with market, 20 days' holiday. For the Part One students we offer £17,500, no pension. For Part Two, we give a pension of 5% and £21-22,000 as a starter.
Do you offer any opportunities for further professional training?
We provide computer software training and essentially look to develop students through on the job experience.
Do you offer any sort of flexible working?
We haven't needed to offer part-time work or job shares as it's never been asked for at that level, but we do offer it in other parts of the practice.
Any career tips for graduates?
Any graduate must have enthusiasm to learn and ask loads of questions while they are still new, also try to get as varied experience as possible.
BDP International
How many graduates do you take on a year on average?
10 to 15
What do you look for in a graduate?
An excellent history of academic achievement, a well-presented CV with integrated images of coursework, a good level of computer literacy a creative intellect and a sociable personality.
What package are graduates offered?
Basic salary, plus 5% pension allowance, life insurance, 22 days' holiday, medical insurance and payment of professional subscriptions
Any additional perks?
Subsidised café, a social committee that organise a range of activities throughout the year
Any opportunities for further professional training?
Yes – sponsorship to complete professional qualifications
Do you offer flexible working?
Sometimes.
Any career tips for graduates?
Get a practice mentor as early on as you can to mix real practice wisdom with academic learning. Remember that architecture's just one door into the built environment. You have many career paths with your skills.
Broadway Malyan
How many graduates do you take on a year on average?
Four to 10
What do you look for in a graduate?
Experience, a good degree, basic skills on computer programmes like AutoCAD, PhotoShop. An enthusiastic team player who can work well under pressure. A good sense of humour helps, as does the ability to draw by hand. Someone who cares about people and about the environment.
What package are graduates offered?
A competitive salary, pension scheme, life insurance, 20 days' holiday, discounted health insurance, long-term disability insurance, profit-related pay bonus, mentoring.
Any additional perks?
We have a "design forum", a subsidised annual design study trip – we've been to Rome, Switzerland and Helsinki in the last three years – plus smaller UK trips throughout the year. Sports and social activities like football and softball teams.
Do you offer opportunities for further professional training?
Yes – financial help with exams to Part Three or towards membership of professional bodies.
Do you offer flexible working?
All requests are actively considered according to circumstances.
Any career tips for graduates?
Look, listen and learn. Get to know what is happening in the world architecturally through reading journals and checking architecture websites. Go to architecture (and art) exhibitions and openings.
HOK
How many graduates do you take on a year
Four to six.
What do you look for in a graduate?
We look for candidates from a good school, with technical skills and creative potential where appropriate.
What package do you offer graduates?
£19-22,000 salary, stakeholder pension, 25 days' holiday per year, free medical health cover and life insurance.
Any opportunities for further professional training?
Continuing professional development training on "soft skills" where there is an identified business need. Further professional training is offered, such as completing Part Three.
Do you offer flexible working?
We offer flexible working where practical.
Atkins
How many graduates do you take on a year on average?
Seven or eight.
What package are graduates offered?
£19-20,000 salary, 25 days' holiday, discretionary bonus scheme.
Do you offer any opportunities for further professional training?
We support development towards RIBA qualification and continuing professional development, too. We have weekend trips away to areas of architectural interest such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
Do you offer any sort of flexible working?
We do day-release schemes but don't offer home-working for fresh graduates.
PRP Architects
How many graduates do you take on a year on average?
Eight a year.
What do you look for in a graduate?
An interesting portfolio, with good hand-drawing skills, though some CAD skills are always useful. We like students to have an enquiring and open mind, keenness to learn, some demonstrable analytical skills and an interest in the work we are doing.
What package are graduates offered?
Salary of £20-25,000, 23 days' holiday, company pension scheme and permanent health insurance.
We allow up to 10 working days per annum for professional activities that have the educational objective of broadening practical training.
Do you offer any opportunities for further professional training?
We offer a bursary to exceptional post-Part One students to assist in their final studies, following on from their year out with us. In return, we ask them to come back and work for us while they do their Part Three and stay with us for a year or two after that. We have specific training and career development programmes, such as software training. Talks are arranged from other architecture practices and we hold weekly design and technical reviews projects.
Do you offer flexible working?
Some students are working and studying part-time. Other members of staff, although already qualified as architects, are doing additional part-time Masters courses in planning, sustainability, Urban Design and so on. We also have a number of staff working part-time because of childcare responsibilities.
Any career tips for graduates?
Stay enthusiastic, go for any experience you can get, focus and learn. Practices enjoy and benefit from the energy that students bring, but it has to be applied rigorously to be of benefit to either the students or the practice.
Nightingale Associates
How many graduates do you take on a year?
Fifteen.
What do you look for in a graduate?
Because we deal in healthcare, which is one issue that's not dealt with in architecture school, we have to take the candidates that have all the usual skills and then train them up in the specific designs for healthcare.
What package are graduates offered?
Competitive salary in line with national averages, pension after one year service, 23 days' holiday.
Any additional perks?
Travel opportunities within the business, as we're an international practice.
Do you offer flexible working?
We consider part-time working and flexible working depending on employees' specific circumstances and the demands of the business.
Any career tips for graduates?
You should take the currently unusual step of considering a speciality, like healthcare or education.
Notes
Salary quoted generally for Part Two level.Flexible working covers homeworking, part-time or job share
Definitions
Part One students - done their degree in architecture and on a year or so of professional experience.
Part Two students - doing advanced diplomas over two years.
Part Three students - doing their professional practice exams, which can take two years or more.
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