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Architecture students, alumni and industry professionals come together for the annual Architecture Exchange event

Students from the Architecture subject area at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) were joined by alumni and industry delegates for an evening of presentations, networking and discussions.

Architecture Exchange Lecture
Students, alumni and industry professionals at the lectures

Over 100 students and 35 industry delegates were in attendance for the annual event, organised and run by the NTU Employability team, in collaboration with NTU’s School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment (ADBE).

The evening brought together students and alumni from the various course areas included within the Architecture cluster, such as BArch (Hons) Architecture, BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology and BSc (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design. Industry representatives from a range of companies also attended the event, including rg+p, Winvic Construction Ltd, Benoy and GT3 Architects. The event began with a number of presentations from alumni inspiring current students with their stories, and sharing advice both from their time at university and their experiences of employment post-graduation.

Josh Wardle, a BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology alumni from 2016, kicked off the evening by delivering one of the alumni presentations to current students. He caught up with us after the event: “It was an honour to go back to an event that is an invaluable opportunity for students to openly talk to industry delegates. To be able to share my experience with the next generation of professionals and pass on my knowledge is a real pleasure. I hope that all of the students found the evening a valuable insight into the industry. By learning more about what an architectural technologist does in an everyday role, I hope it motivates them to progress in their courses to achieve the best in their degree, and make the most of their upcoming careers.”

Roundtable Discussions
Roundtable discussions on the evening

This then led into a series of roundtable discussions in the breakout areas of the Newton lower level, giving students a chance to network and learn more from industry professionals around starting a career within the architectural industry.
Finally, students were able to present a showcase of their past and current projects from their time on the courses, giving alumni and professionals the opportunity to provide some insight and constructive feedback on their work. The event was received extremely positively, with industry delegates and students having an insightful and impactful evening.

Darren Hodgson of Urban Edge Architects told us more about his time at the event: “It was great to answer some probing student questions and see their work, of which we were blown away by the standard, and their eagerness to share it with us. These youngsters have very bright futures ahead of them!”

Lois Woods, course leader for the BArch Architecture course, attended the evening and spoke to us about the event: “The Architectural Exchange is a highlight in the final year calendar for all of our undergraduate Architecture courses. It was an engaging and lively evening, with a large number of industry professionals (including our own alumni) taking time to visit NTU and network with our students.”

Lois also discussed how the event benefits current students within the Architecture subject area, telling us: “The event provides students with an excellent opportunity to liaise with architects and designers in the industry, enhancing their communication skills in roundtable discussions. Additionally, it provides them with a great opportunity to showcase some of the fantastic work they have been doing so far and boosts their confidence for seeking employment after graduation.”

Published on 14 February 2019
  • Subject area: Architecture and civil engineering
  • Category: Current students; School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment