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I think we are in a similar situation. I am now based in Australia and have only had overseas experience in international design practices. However, local firms do not seem to recognise this experience due to the limited vacancies and the bad market here. There's always a better candidate with local experience in this case.
I would suggest expanding your connections on LinkedIn and kindly messaging people working in architecture in your area, sharing your portfolio and CV. Not everyone will reply, but there are always some kind people willing to share potential opportunities or information. You could also reach out to your tutors from uni to see if they know of any opportunities.
Another idea is to check out graduate programs. The larger firms seem to offer these every year for fresh grads. You could also ask practices if they have any intern, part-time, or casual positions rather than a full-time one. I think the type of position doesn’t really matter at this stage, as gaining practical experience is more important.
Regarding the employment gap, I was like you and didn’t know how to properly deliver it. But I didn’t want to fake it. So I always told the truth in interviews, and I personally tried to present it in a positive way. For example, you could say you are currently a freelance designer, working on small private projects such as competitions, revisiting and refining uni projects, or even your place decoration (painting, furniture making etc.). You could also mention that you are improving your software skills by watching tutorials and show them your progress. The main point is to emphasise your passion for architecture and your willingness to stay engaged with the industry, even during this tough period. They will understand it.
I hope you can stay positive and get through this.
Work in construction. There's a massive shortage of labor and you'll learn more about architecture in 6 months on a job site than in 4 years of university. It will make you a better architect.
For the employment gap, try to work freelance. I know it’s not easy to do it. So might as well pretend you have a client and draw up a project and create construction drawings for maybe like a single family residence project. Make it as real as you can while you train yourself on the internet about project management and costing. Try to make it look as real as possible and you can show it in your portfolio and the project management skill is what a lot of companies now are looking for anyway.
See if your alma mater will let you join the next job fair if they have one.