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Club de emprendedores
New impetus to the CEU Entrepreneurship Club hand in hand with students and alumni
12 October, 2018
Fomento de la empleabilidad a través del desarrollo de competencias
What do companies value the most when contracting?
6 November, 2018

Over a third of our graduates in Architecture have the chance to work abroad

Over 37% of our students of the Degree in Architecture are holding positions abroad. This way they can broaden their knowledge and grow both personally and professionally.

Marta Leboreiro and Jorge Donday are two examples of this reality as they are both working in Burundi and London respectively. They both have in common their academic background and passion for “building” new realities. They completed the Degree in Architecture at this University less than 10 years ago and they took the chance to develop their careers abroad.

Development cooperation

Marta Leboreiro has always wanted to discover new places around the world. Her professional career abroad was determined by development cooperation, contributing her expertise in architecture and defending the right to housing. With only 28 years of age she has been able to work for “Entreculturas” and ‘Save the Children’; and since December 2017 she has been collaborating in a project of the UN Agency for Migrations aimed at easing the return of displaced persons to their homes in Burundi.

This foreign aid worker, beyond her own professional success, loves what she does. “By building small houses with wood, zinc plates and plastics, and the search of rentals at affordable prices, we have housed over 5,000 people. And this does not happen every day”, she declares. “My intention is not to change the world. As one of our Master Professors said: Changing 0.0001% of someone’s life for the better is more than enough”, says.

As she explains “one of my missions with my work in Burundi is to try to change the notion about architecture and provide it with values such as protection, education, rights, relating it to water and hygiene, to food and to the generation of income”.

Sustainable and ecologic strategies

The other architect alumni, Jorge Donday, works for the prestigious London architecture firm SOM where he has been leaving for the past three years. “The firm develops sustainable and ecologic strategies both at urban and architectural extent and regarding the technical aspect, the level of execution and construction details is very high. It is a part of architecture that has always been of my interest and from which I am learning a lot”, he explains.

The company where he is developing his career is the responsible for the design of some of the most emblematic buildings of the last decades. The partnership between multidisciplinary team of architects and engineers has led to the design of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s highest tower; or the One World Trade Centre in New York.

The range of knowledge both artistic and technical offered by the Higher Polytechnic School of the University and in particular, the Degree in Architecture, has helped students such as Jorge, to make the most also of their personal skills. Today and after collaborating in different projects, Jorge leads with another colleague a housing project in Colindale, North of London. “It is the first project I lead and it represents a great opportunity as well as a challenge”, he confesses.

Building on the CEU experience

With respect to their professional careers they both agree that the comprehensive education offered by the CEU with the 50 years of academic experience of the Degree in Architecture has been essential. Both Jorge and Marta encourage anyone who wishes to take the risks as they did.

“Make the most of your university years, building on everything the CEU offers: from classes to workshops, lectures and mentorships, which are really useful” Jorge recommends; while Marta outstands “the supervision of good teachers and professionals” offered during university years.