NAAB

Career Development Information

Our School of Architecture provides a variety of opportunities for students to explore career paths, meet with prospective employers, and engage in internships:

• Rensselaer’s Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) offers comprehensive career planning and counseling to all students, including resume writing, successful interviewing techniques, and assistance with job seeking.  For more information, see http://www.rpi.edu/dept/cdc/.
• Handshake As the most trusted college recruiting platform, Handshake enables employers to connect with Rensselaer students through targeted outreach and digital features like virtual career fairs and events. https://ccpd.rpi.edu/handshake
• The School of Architecture hosts a licensing/NCARB event annually to ensure that students have important information pertaining to their professional development.  This year’s event was held October 22, 2015, and featured a presentation by Harry Falconer, AIA, NCARB; and Robert Lopez, an alumnus and registered architect.  (https://www.arch.rpi.edu/2015/10/licensing-leading-voices/).
• The School of Architecture’s Annual Career Fair is held in Spring semester, bringing representatives from some 30 firms to campus to meet with our students.  These companies often have job openings and also are seeking interns, summer workers, or offering co-op experiences.
• In 2013, Dean Evan Douglis established Blast<Off: Career Development Chats Initiative, a program held once each semester to bring together two faculty who talk informally with students about their career paths, educational journeys, etc., during a pizza supper.   (https://www.arch.rpi.edu/2015/10/blast-off-f15/).
• Students in our program receive career guidance from their faculty advisors, and also from the faculty who teach them.  Since ours is a fairly small school, the faculty and students know each other well and have ample opportunity to interact.  Additionally, internships and job openings are posted on our website (https://www.arch.rpi.edu/resources/internships/).
• Our student organizations (AIAS, NOMAS and the Dean’s Student Advisory Council) have created a “Positions Series” that brings approximately 6 practitioners to campus on Saturdays during each semester.  The practitioners talk with students formally and informally about careers, opportunities, job-hunting strategies, portfolio development, etc.  (https://www.arch.rpi.edu/2015/10/f15-positions-series-hacker-ingenuity/)
• The 10-12 guest lecturers per year, who come to campus as part of our renowned Architecture Lecture Series curated by Dean Evan Douglis, are expected to have a luncheon with select undergraduates to talk about careers, and then are scheduled for “Coffee and Conversation” with our graduate students who typically discuss career development strategies with our lecturers.