AN UPHILL BATTLE! Getting an Architecture Job in the UK without UK experience! Ft. Marwah Aziz and Hannah Brooke

Stephen Drew speaks with Marwah Aziz and Hannah Brooke about getting an architecture job in the UK without UK experience, covering overseas qualifications, visa realities, rejection, job-search barriers and practical support for international candidates.

Show Notes

Getting a UK architecture job without UK experience can be brutally difficult, even for strong candidates with relevant qualifications and commitment.

Stephen Drew speaks with Marwah Aziz and Hannah Brooke about overseas qualifications, visa realities, rejection, job-search barriers and practical support for international candidates trying to enter the UK architecture market.

The conversation covers:

• Why UK experience can become a barrier for international candidates
• How visa and skilled shortage realities affect job searching
• What Marwah experienced while trying to find work in the UK
• How support can help candidates keep moving
• What practices should understand about overseas talent

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▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx-CzFUrcPs

📝 Read the full write-up, with the key takeaways:
https://architecturesocial.com/podcast/an-uphill-battle-getting-an-architecture-job-in-the-uk-without-uk-experience-ft-marwah-aziz-and-hannah-brooke/

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Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to getting a UK architecture job without UK experience
• 05:00 Why the process can feel like an uphill battle
• 10:00 Overseas qualifications and UK employer expectations
• 15:00 Skilled shortage list, visas and the reality of applications
• 20:00 Marwah Aziz's first-hand job search experience
• 25:00 Hannah Brooke and support during the search
• 30:00 Barriers overseas candidates face in the UK
• 35:00 How candidates can strengthen their applications
• 40:00 What practices should understand about international talent
• 45:00 Practical advice and closing thoughts

Creators and Guests

Host

Stephen Drew

Hello! I’m Stephen Drew, Founder of the Architecture Social—an online community and resource hub dedicated to helping professionals in Architecture, Design, Development, and Real Estate advance their careers. I’m here to connect you with insights, tools, and opportunities that lead to meaningful growth, whether you’re just starting out or ready to take that next big step.

What is Architecture Social?

It is hard to get a job in architecture. We exist to help you get there. Hosted by Stephen Drew, Architecture Social is the unfiltered guide to the UK Built Environment. We decode the realities of the industry, provide actionable cheat codes for your career, and bridge the communication gap between the drafting board and the boardroom.

Whether you are a Part I assistant trying to survive your first role, a Part III architect managing complex procurement, or a Practice Director fighting tight margins and adapting to the Building Safety Act, this podcast is your central node of intelligence. We strip away the aesthetic gatekeeping and toxic positivity to talk about the actual mechanics of the business.

Expect honest conversations about salary realities, portfolio strategies, hiring economics, and the true experiences of the people actively shaping the profession.

No fluff, just the reality of practice.