August 2006

I’ve written before about the challenge the architecture profession has in developing the next generation of architects. I’m concerned that it is not only our profession, but the entire construction industry that is facing this need for talent, competence and passion. I was visiting one of our construction sites recently and was listening to the framing carpenters speaking Portuguese. It was a hard working and competent crew with a majority of the workers from Brazil. Imported workers are becoming more and more common; for instance, the drywall workers in this area have traditionally been French Canadian, but are now often Mexican. The question that this raises is why are we having to draw from so far to find competent, hard working people.

I suppose it would be easy to fault American society’s shortcomings, which may certainly be a part of the problem, but I prefer to focus on one specific element that can be influenced. That is the mind set within our primary and secondary educational system that all our kids have to go to college and need to focus on college prep type courses. On a personal level, it was because of my exposure to drafting in Junior High (middle) school and my drafting teacher, Joe Busky, that I discovered my understanding of and interest in architecture. I was fortunate to attend a high school that had drafting and architecture classes that could fit into the college track program. That exposure coupled with several summer related jobs in construction related activities helped me see the role for planning and designing before building. Certainly an innate nature of how I visualize and understand the world played a part, but it was the exposure to the nature of design that led me to architecture. I believe our schools are not doing enough to expose students, particularly more capable students, to careers in the architectural profession, or more broadly, the construction industry. Drafting or art or architecture or building related classes are usually not a part of the college curriculum. They tend to be classified as vocational education, and if offered at all, are usually in a separate regional school for the non-academically oriented student. Well, you know what, we need smart kids in architecture and the construction industry. I suppose the smarter ones will realize that they could make an excellent living in the trades without having the cost of a college education.

There are several things that schools could be done to expose students to careers in architecture and building trades. Career days at schools are an opportunity for students to meet and talk with us. The Learning by Design fourth grade program is a wonderful way to excite children about design and construction. The Design Day has also been helpful for students interested in design. It is the inclusion of classes in middle and high school related to construction, drafting, art and architecture for all our students, however, (especially the college bound), that is especially critical to allowing students to discover if they are interested in a future career in our professions. Check with your local middle and high schools and talk with the school boards to encourage them to offer these types of classes that expose students to our world. Perhaps then more students will pursue a career in architecture or the construction industry.