Thots on th' perfeshin

These are a few additional thoughts at the dismay situation in the
profession of architecture. This situation has been going on for years.
It's nothing new. It is perpetuated both by practitioners and educators---
who apparently have very little imagination about how to change the situation.
For those who would destroy the notion of stereotyping in the foundation
years, there are those in the following years who would continue to
encourage stereotyping in the more advanced years. [The notion of one
practitioner, now president of the Pennsylvania Society of Architects,
is that more advanced years should be taught by licensed architects...as
if licensure had anything to do with more innovative and progressive
means to learning and research and practice...]

It seems that *this* profession is in the hands of those persons who
have passed through the most miserable experience of apprenticeship and
licensure---and they are damned sure everyone else will have to suffer
the same demeaning and mostly unintellectual experiences. [I have heard
unpleasantstories about medicine as well. It seems to be just as much a
feudal system---and very unkind to its participants.] But...there seem
few persons who are willing (or able) to boycot the system.

If I were to work for a master architect, then it would be because I have
respect for that person's work. If I were to work under a studio master,
then it would be because I was doing so for a degree. The latter method of
preparing an architect is similar to an apprenticeship with a master
architect---except---I would have NO CHOICE IN MY SELECTION OF THE
STUDIO MASTER---AND NOT NECESSARILY ANY RESPECT FOR THAT PERSON. Hence,
the basis for disdain is built into the educational situation. My "heart"
will be badly affected by the relationship. Not good! Bad for me and
my society---eventually! Why not *just* solve problems in an educatonal
setting---and learn to become a master---rather than an apprentice? [Because
it would not feed the system with "pigs in a poke"?]

I would encourage extensive discussion of these questions...

Howard

- - The original note follows - -

Newsgroups: alt.architecture
Path: psuvm!news.cac.psu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!
uunet!cs.utexas.edu!hermes.chpc.utexas.edu!news.utdallas.edu!corpgate!nrtpa038!
brtph560!news
From: Todd Sandrock <@bnr>
Subject: Thots on th' perfeshin #3. amen.
Message-ID: <1993Aug17.211922.18374@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
X-Xxdate: Tue, 17 Aug 93 17:22:36 GMT
Sender: news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Usenet News)
Organization: Northern Telecom Limited
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d24
References: <1993Aug16.194953.20071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1993 21:19:22 GMT
Lines: 87

Thots on th' perfeshin #3

there are sure to be typos...

Some parting shots:

19. About the system of actually becoming an architect. It usually runs
along the lines of 1)EDUCATION at an accredited school 2)CERTIFICATION
where you pay somebody scads of cash and they send back a letter saying
that, yes, you actually did go to school 3)EXPERIENCE between one and 3
years+ meticulously logged and itemised by
CADD/non-CADD/observer/representative etc. 4)EXAMS the dreaded NCARBS now
available in Canada thanks to the 1988 free-trade agreement.

I don't think it would be that difficult to collect horror stories about
articling architect/graduate associate/intern
architect/architect-in-training experiences with their respective
professional associations. My experience with the Ontario Association of
Architects has been less than pleasurable. viz.:

20. Requirements differ from province to province [and I imagine from
state to state] enough that a lot of times moving means starting from
scratch as one jurisdiction will not accept experience gained in another.

21. It costs a lot of money. School is just the start of the cash layout.
Say an even thousand for the NCARB course and exams (which is, at least,
tax deductible in Ontario), 200$ for certification, and a continuing $70
bucks per year to keep your little black book.

22. The admission standards seem to be increasing to the point where I
wonder how may architects registered pre-1988 could actually meet them.

23. In Ontario, while you undergo this articling period, the professional
association won't even let you use the term 'architect' anywhere in your
title, as in 'Intern Architect'. People look at 'Graduate Associate, OAA'
on your card and don't know what exactly it is you do for a living.

GA's exist in some void between students and registered architects, with
no voting privileges at the Annual General Meetings. Our seeming purpose
is to pay for the opportunity to subsidise registered members' group
insurance rates.

24. GA's find no ally in salary advocacy in the OAA. The Professional
Engineers' Association of Ontario publishes an annual survey of
engineers' salaries. This sets a standard which certainly governments and
large corporations take into account. To hire the best, companies know
they have to beat the guideline.

(incidentally, Engineering associations consider your degree as proof of
competence, require usually a year's work and 2 exams--one on ethics--as
prerequisite for PEng. status. Can architecture be that much harder?)

I think the OAA would be embarrassed if a salary survey were published.
It is certainly not in registered members' interest to have salary
competition. This is because, unlike engineering, which has many employed
by Govt or industry, it is the members of the OAA themselves who are
employing and underpaying almost all articling and young architects.

The professional association is there to protect the public from
incompetent architects. Who will protect incompetent architects'
employees from incompetent architects?

25. Experience gained under an architect outside of private practise (say
in a company or in government) is suspect. The OAA will require you to
justify it in a special 'fireside chat'. Don't for a moment think it will
all be acceptable.

26. There is no system in place similar to those in law or medicine which
matches articling professionals to firms who can use them, and affords
intern professionals at least some rights and respectability. No 'call to
the bar', just a call from the repo man...

27. etc. etc. I have amore, but this post has become much longer than our
modern attention span.

Think twice about it, and talk to people who are trying to make a living
at it. Call me if you feel like it @ 613.763.8808...

Good Luck

Todd Sandrock M.Arch. [Graduate Associate, OAA ;-)]
Facilities Planner
Northern Telecom Limited
Ottawa, Ontario


...the kids are all right...
Partial thread listing: