The architecture graduates of SETU launched an official organization, the SETU Architects Alumni Association, in the Granary campus in Waterford city
The architecture graduates of SETU recently launched an official organization, the SETU Architects Alumni Association, in the institute’s Granary campus in Waterford city centre.
‘It was an idea whose time had come,’ said the WIT-AAA’s new president, Tadhg Casey, at the launch which was organised by the Head of the Architecture Department, Sharon O’Brien. ‘For such a new department, it has already gained a great reputation for the quality of its graduates,’ said Tadhg who works with leading Dublin practise Conroy Crowe Kelly. ‘WIT educated architects are much sought after. Personally, I’d say our graduates have an advantage over those from other Irish schools in landing top jobs with good practises. They’re very motivated and have a strong work ethic.’
‘It’s very important for the Department as well as for the Institute to promote the course within the profession and ensure our graduates find the best opportunities to advance their careers,’ said the WIT-AAA’s newly elected Secretary, Sorcha de Bacún. ‘The architecture profession has become completely global in recent years, so SETU grads have to compete with professionals coming from better known schools, not just in Ireland but in all parts of the world.’
Speaking at the launch, the Head of the School of Engineering, Dr Ken Thomas, congratulated the architecture graduates on the success they’ve had in landing important positions in big name offices at home and abroad. ‘It’s great to have graduates working for offices like Norman Foster, Richard Rogers and Rafael Vinoly,’ said Ken, ‘leveraging these links through the WIT-AAA for everyone’s benefit will be exciting in the coming years’.
WIT first began running its architecture course in 2006 and the first students graduated with their B.Arch. in 2009. About a hundred graduates have now successfully completed the course and they’re currently pursuing their careers in all parts of the globe from Los Angeles to Newfoundland, Tanzania to Edinburgh.
'There’s always been a strong group spirit amongst our graduates,' said the organization’s Competitions Officer Brian Casey. ‘We’ve been meeting up regularly over the past few years, mostly in London where the majority of our graduates are currently based. But now that we’ve formed ourselves into an official group we can take on new projects on a more formal basis.’
The WIT-AAA has a busy schedule in the coming months with a major event planned for Dublin at the end of May and its first AGM scheduled to take place in Antibes in the middle of September.
For more information on the WIT-AAA, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ArchiConnect/