Architect job losses up by 760%

The rate at which architects are joining the dole has accelerated to a year-on-year increase of 760%, it has emerged.

Following BD’s exclusive story last month that architects are signing on at a faster rate than any other profession, the trend has continued into the early part of 2009, The Guardian reported today.

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, between February 2008 and February 2009, the number of architects claiming jobseekers’ allowance rose by 760% from 150 to 1,290.

RIBA president Sunand Prasad told the paper the problem for the profession was “gigantic”.

“I would estimate that those figures represent a fraction of the reality, based on our returns, anecdotal material and our projections,” he said.