How Can You Get A Well-Paying Job Abroad after Your B.Arch Degree in 2024?

Raise your hand if you are an architect frustrated with your current job, looking to get a job abroad from India, on something more adventurous and rewarding with better pay.

It is the dream of many architectural graduates to find a better-paying job abroad or even new opportunities. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. Doing a master’s degree may sound like an answer but it is not an affordable option. Then, what is the best solution?

Architecture Job Market Is Very Competitive

It is universally accepted that the architecture industry can be extremely competitive. The architecture school itself is notoriously competitive. We are trained from day one, in this case the undergraduate study, to ace above everyone else with our design.

This extends to the job market where the competition is even stronger. After all, we are now in the industry. Every architect wants to earn well and/or be the next starchitect. 

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of architects will grow by 3 percent from 2021-2031. It also reports an average 9100 architecture jobs in the U.S per year while the number of graduates remains close to 30K (for reference, India has over 25K architectural graduates per year). We can expect similar numbers for other countries. Such small numbers for a mega industry.

Having a degree is no longer enough to get and retain a good career. Architects must continuously seek to equip themselves with the latest industry knowledge and skills to stay relevant. So, if you are wondering “How can I go abroad for job” then you should start working on enhancing your skills to find your dream job.

Before we talk further about B. Architecture scope, let’s take a look at some of the most common careers as well as the highest-paying ones.

What Jobs Can An Architecture Degree Get You?

The architecture degree, as notoriously tiring it may be, trains its students in various disciplines within the design and construction industry. While the architect may be the most popular and obvious career after graduation, there are many other job opportunities for architectural graduates. 

Here is a list of some best B. Arch job opportunities: 

1. Architect / Designer

Salary Range: INR 1.2 lakhs to INR 12.0 lakhs/Year

Architects, architectural designer, interior designer, landscape architect or designer are the most common careers in the architecture and design industry. B.Arch prepares a graduate to be an all-rounder in architectural design, preparing him/or to enter the industry as a generalist architect. 

Hence, B. Architecture scope is wide and the graduates can choose to also become knowledgeable to take on interior and landscape design roles.

2. Furniture designer

Salary Range: INR 0.5 Lakhs to INR 10.2 Lakhs/Year

Also a popular choice of career for architectural graduates, a furniture designer provides design solutions for the interiors (though furniture can be involved in exterior landscaping) with aesthetic, ergonomic and functional furniture. Many furniture designers are making use of the latest design software to produce designs that meet the ever-demanding needs of the population.

3. Graphic designer

Salary Range: INR 1.1 Lakhs to INR 7.0 Lakhs/Year

Bemoaning the tough industry, many architects have also moved to graphic design, preferring smaller and quicker projects. As creatives, architectural graduates have a good understanding of visual communication, colour psychology and an eye for details. 

Read more: Understanding Urban Heat Islands, Their Causes, and How the AEC Industry Tackles Them {2024}

Highest Paid Specialisations in the AEC Industry Worldwide

Most conventional careers have one thing in common – poor pay and long hours. Starting your own firm is also not feasible for a fresher, and also not advisable. However, the good news is that architects can choose to specialise. Specialised professionals get better pay due to the high demand in the industry. Get the right skills and you will be earning better than your fellow architects in no time. 

1.BIM Specialist

Salary Range: INR 2.8 Lakhs to INR 14.1 Lakhs/Year

BIM (Building information modelling) has changed how the industry works, from design to data with automation and coordination. Needless to say, the demand for BIM specialists is also on the rise. BIM specialists need to be skilled in design, modelling, data management, coordination and project management

2.Sustainability Consultant and Specialist

Salary Range: INR 3.0 Lakhs to INR 28.0 Lakhs/Year

Sustainability is an essential part of both the design process and the industry. It is true that architects and engineers can also perform sustainability analysis. However, a sustainability consultant will guide the process to improve the building's performance and sustainability features. This role requires expertise in sustainable design principles and workflows, an understanding of green building guides and building simulation and analysis tools. 

3.Computational design specialists

Salary Range: INR 4.5 Lakhs to INR 24.5 Lakhs/Year

Just like BIM, computational design is also a broad niche with several career options. A computational designer, the most common for this niche, can work in any design discipline. They will support the design team in an architectural firm with complex design solutions using computational design. A similar but more advanced role is that of a design technology specialist who may also need to be knowledgeable in BIM.

These are just 3 of the best paid architecture specialisations. Architects can still use computational design in their workflows. The skill level and expertise of such architects are more advanced and also highly desired by top firms globally. 

Best In-Demand Architect Design Tools

What do some of these high-paying specialisations have in common? They exemplify the undeniable fact that more skills offer better opportunities.

BIM and computational design are gradually becoming non-negotiable skill sets in the industry. This claim is not without evidence. These job descriptions from top firms show that knowledge of BIM, computational design and their tools are must-haves even for the role of an architectural designer. 

Here are some of the most in-demand architect design tools: 

Grasshopper

As a visual programming language integrated with Rhino, Grasshopper is excellent for architects who want to learn about parametric and computational design, skills that are increasingly sought after in innovative architecture projects worldwide. It enables designers to build form-generating scripts without writing code, revolutionizing how parametric modelling is used in architectural design.

Rhinoceros (Rhino)

Rhino excels in creating complex 3D models. It is capable of handling intricate mathematical representations like NURBS which allow for precise modeling of curves and surfaces in 3D space. It is useful in both architecture and industrial design.

AutoCAD

This tool is the backbone of architectural drafting, used widely for creating precise 2D and 3D drawings. AutoCAD is versatile, supporting various types of drawings from architectural to electrical, making it indispensable in the architecture industry.

So How Can You Land a Job Abroad After B.Arch?

It is a rational justification to state that the countries above have better job opportunities due to high demand. The high demand naturally attracts architectural graduates to go abroad for better pay and opportunities. However, it is no easy task.

The sad truth is that getting a job in such countries is difficult for an undergraduate degree holder. They prefer to hire locals instead of taking a chance on a foreign fresher. This means the competition is now even higher.

So how do graduates land jobs abroad?

Pursuing Master’s Degrees

The traditional method is to first pursue a master’s degree abroad in a related field. Many graduates opt to search for jobs in the same country after graduation from master’s. It is definitely easier, but there is no guarantee.

The question is – is a master’s degree worth it? Moving abroad is never easy; not to mention, expensive tuition fees and general cost of living can put anyone in debt. Some graduates would fork out enough finances ahead of time to invest in their tertiary education.

Then, are there no hopes for someone who can’t afford to further their education?

Learning In-Demand Skills with Cohort-Based Courses

While many firms state that master’s degrees are preferred, it is not the degree that they want but the skills. Some professionals even consider university courses, especially undergraduate, to be outdated. Employers and recruiters today also prefer skills and experience over academic qualifications.

Architects can rejoice because there are now shorter cohort-based courses to learn the industry relevant in-demand skills. Many of these courses are more affordable and accessible for the graduates. They are also less intensive; many courses require only a few hours of study time weekly, allowing the professionals to focus on work concurrently. The only thing tough about cohort courses is to find a course that teaches the best skills in both theory and practical.

Read more: Salaries and Career Growth of BIM Professionals Across the World.

Novatr is empowering architectural graduates

Most graduates dream of going abroad to get better jobs, but only a handful can due to financial reasons. Courses are more affordable options but they don’t guarantee quality.

Understanding the struggles of architecture students, Novatr has embarked on a lifelong journey to address the talent gap in the industry. The online cohort-based courses Novatr offers will empower students with skills of the future to skyrocket their careers. 

The flagship course, BIM Professional Course, teaches one of the most in-demand skills of the AEC industry today – BIM.

• In only 9 months, the learners will find themselves equipped with industry-relevant skills using over 7 BIM software that will help boost their careers.
• The course is prepared and delivered by AEC professionals from top-tier architecture and BIM firms.
• Towards the end of course, the learners will work on a live RIBA-structured capstone project to prove their skills.
  

The brand new Applied Computational Design course aims at real-world application of this advanced digital design in the architecture scene.  

• Learners can expect to master over 20 advanced tools and workflows in 8 months, enhanced by computational thinking. 
• The course isn’t just on modelling; the learners will get to choose from 2 specialisations to build your specialist portfolio.
• Just like the BIM Professional Course, learners can master Computational Design through a curriculum prepared and delivered by computational design specialists and sustainability experts from coveted firms.
  

Novatr is proud to be the digital education platform for architecture that provides real-world exposure to the industry with relevant skills. Head to the course pages to find out more details on both courses and how they will help you achieve better careers.

For more details about the industry, check out our Resource Pages!

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