Record numbers of young people are not in education, work or training, according to government figures released today. With all this talk of a "lost generation", I wanted to point out that it's not just school drop-outs who lack motivation or skills that are struggling. As I can testify, even the educated and focused ones among us are struggling to get a foot on the career ladder.

I recently completed an honours degree in architecture. I handed in my final portfolio more than three months ago and have been actively seeking work ever since. At the beginning of my second year, my tutors told us to concentrate not on getting a top grade, but on successfully completing the course.

The study was stressful with a heavy workload, but I loved every minute of it. My final-year tutor was inspiring in her approach and style, and allowed me to think about architecture in a totally different way. My hard work paid off and I graduated with a first-class degree in architecture from Brighton University earlier this year – as well as nearly £20,000 of debt.

During the last six months of my course, there was a lot of talk about how badly the job market was being affected by the recession and how it was going to be hard for us to find the assistant positions we needed to gain the experience required for part two of the training next year.

However, I was optimistic. I believed that if I was pro-active, I would get one of the few places on offer. I started sending out my CV in April – since then I have sent out countless copies to companies around the country. I have scoured the internet and checked the papers daily. No firms that I could find are advertising for architectural assistants so I have been cold-calling, trying to anticipate what I think they would want in an assistant should a position become available. Although I have received positive feedback on my work and CV, there seem to be no vacancies.

I don't live with my family so the rent and bills are piling up. Getting a degree seems of little use at the moment – it's just a meaningless bit of writing on a piece of paper. I was reluctant to apply for benefits as I believed I would find employment quickly but that has not been the case. I have now applied for jobseeker's allowance while I continue looking for work.

To make the situation even more frustrating a lot of the people on my course do have assistant jobs. The key difference between them and me is that they have a family member who is an architect or contacts within the industry. The few positions that are emerging during this period of economic doom and gloom never see the light of day – they are snapped up by or created for someone's son or daughter, niece or nephew.

I won't become part of the "lost generation". I am confident that I will get an assistant position. I am extremely motivated and excited about architecture and the prospect of gaining professional experience in a practice. It's just a matter of working out how to survive financially until I do so.

I don't know what more I can do – I have studied hard, done well and been pro-active in my search for employment. But unfortunately the current job market just highlights the fact that it's not what you know, it's who you know.