People starting out in virtually any field often feel pressure as they learn the ropes and look for a job opening. Young architects, however, must also face the pressure of a looming licensing test and a fiercely competitive industry.
To guide them along the way, the Rhode Island chapter of the American Institute of Architects runs an Emerging Professionals Committee. Matthew Clemence, who works at Ed Wojcik Architect, recently became chair of the committee and took some time to talk about his new role.
PBN: Can you tell us a little about the AIA Emerging Professionals Committee? I understand it’s relatively new; are you the first chair?
CLEMENCE: The AIA-RI Emerging Professionals Committee was started in 2004. I am not the first chair but thanks for the compliment. The previous chair, James Evrard of William Kite Architects, has held the position for the past three years. The EPC is a resource for young architects and intern architects on their way to becoming licensed. Membership to the EPC is open to intern architects up to 10 years post licensure.
We offer access to study guides through the AIA-RI Lending Library and review sessions for the Architectural Registration Exams, of which there are seven exams total. The EPC also organizes construction tours, which are open to the AIA and beyond to visit local buildings under construction throughout the year.
We also have an annual event called The Forum, where a topic that is relevant to young architects is presented via panel discussion or presentation. Architects who have received their licenses within the past year are also recognized by the State Architectural Registration Board.
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PBN: What are your personal goals for the committee during your tenure?
CLEMENCE: My personal goals for the committee during my term as chair include a small lecture series, a more comprehensive and inclusive Forum, and further involvement with the AIA student chapters at local colleges and universities. This seems a bit ambitious for the first year, so this might take a while.
One goal is to make the Forum a larger event that includes multiple groups. For example, a Providence chapter of Architecture for Humanity is in the incorporation stages and we would like to invite them to our event. Ironically, most of the members of the EPC are also founding members of AFH-Providence.
The Forum is geared toward both professionals and students. The topics are relevant to students who are studying architecture and thinking about what they will do when they graduate. Getting the college chapters involved during the year will help to expand their understanding about the profession.
PBN: I understand that the committee encourages members to get out to construction sites. Why is that so important?
CLEMENCE: The committee does encourage members to get out to construction sites. This is also part of the Intern Development Program, which requires a certain number of hours in construction-phase observation. This is especially important for young architects to see first-hand, with their own two eyes, how buildings are constructed in the field. Sometimes we may draw a detail that is difficult for the contractor to build. If we have a better understanding of how materials go together and industry standards, this helps to create more accurate construction documents and a better building overall.
It’s also important to see what new materials are being used that we may be unfamiliar with. If we see successful applications in the field, we will be more likely to specify these materials on future projects. It’s also a lot of fun to get out of the office and tromp around construction sites with hard hats and safety glasses when things are still exposed. For architects it’s like a “kid in a candy store.”
PBN: What challenges do young architects face today?
CLEMENCE: Young architects face a number of challenges today. First of all, getting your first job is a challenge. It’s difficult to “get your foot in the door” after graduation. Once you start working, the next challenge is to acquire the necessary experience to complete the Intern Development Program, which is required for licensure. The IDP requires experience in 16 separate categories from Programming to Construction Administration.
Completing all the hours in these categories takes about three years in a well-rounded internship. However, as intern architects with little experience, sometimes we can become “pigeon-holed” into doing just one thing and not experiencing the full spectrum of the architecture profession. On the other hand, recent graduates often have the most experience with computers and technology, having had access and training in the latest programs and software and can use this to their advantage.
It is important to make the most of your internship. We have to speak up and ask to do things to earn the experience in all those categories. This brings up another challenge, which is working with multiple generations in the workplace. Now, I don’t mean that we as the younger generation are the easiest to work with, because that is certainly not true. I’m talking about earning trust from our elder co-workers.
As the young person on the team, sometimes it’s difficult for those with years of experience to take us seriously, and rightly so. As we gain more experience performing a variety of tasks, we become more confident in our skills and understanding and this becomes evident in the way we conduct ourselves. After all the hours have been completed and approved by your supervisor, you are eligible to sit for the Architectural Registration Exams. The next challenge is to pass these exams in a five-year period to receive your license. Then and only then can you call yourself an architect.
PBN: What about you? What would you tell young people aspiring to become architects?
CLEMENCE: Architecture has become more popular in recent years. Architects are portrayed in everything from commercial advertising and movies to network television series. For those aspiring architects in the college planning stages I say stick with it. Architecture is both a demanding and rewarding profession.
When I started college, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The education of an architect requires perseverance and determination. You have to really want it to keep with it and make it through. The schedule of long hours in the studio and having your ideas critiqued by professors helps to build character. After graduation and finding your first job, you have to prove yourself in the workplace.
The rewarding part is contributing to the fabric of our world. (Architects also have a funny way of speaking after years of theory and design in school). Seriously though, it is amazing to be able to draw something on paper or the computer and be able to walk into it and experience it in reality. Architecture is a part of our everyday lives, where we live and work.
