By Marc Teer, AIA
All too often aspiring architects graduate with a notable degree, but their schooling focused heavily on design, and not so much the important technical aspects of the job. They also have the burden of completing the ARE. This has created a huge demand for on-the-job learning and training for staff. There is a need for this kind of training because firms are competing for talent and the firms with the most highly trained staff tend to be the most successful.
Competition for Talent
In order to retain this talent, 82% of firms are choosing to invest in more professional development opportunities, according to the latest Design Intelligence research. Research from Deltek even found that firms reported external education programs as one of the top three tools used to develop talent, and 70% of those same firms reported that their win rates increased or stayed the same over the past year.
I think there is something to be said here that when you equip your staff with the tools they need to further their skills and education, you are creating an environment where they feel valued and confident. At the same time, you are increasing their ability to perform independently and accelerate the speed at which they can achieve licensure. The more licensed and experienced architects you have, the higher your win rate and the more you can enhance your firm's bottom line.
Mentoring
I think increasing employee skill proficiency starts with offering a mentor program. A learning plan should first be developed with the mentor with set end goals. These mentor programs should teach employees both the skills necessary to achieve licensure, if they are pursuing this, and the technical aspects of their jobs. By offering these options at your firm, you’re showing an investment in the progress of your staff and their path towards licensure.
The Deltek research cited 63% of firms out there are offering mentor programs, and one of the more successful examples I know of is AIA Chicago’s Bridge program. The program pairs up EPs with FAIA members. They meet regularly to discuss the mentee’s goals and aspirations, and provide direction and ideas for how to achieve their goals. A firm could take a similar approach by pairing up their staff with the principals in their firms.
Group Learning
While one on one mentoring can be successful, learning in groups can be an efficient way to disseminate knowledge in your firm. Building groups with knowledge leaders in, for example, sustainability or exterior wall assemblies can focus the expertise in your office. This approach can satisfy both the technical learning needs of your staff and the skill set necessary to achieve licensure.
Additional Resources
Providing additional resources for learning, instead of just manpower, can significantly cut down on training time and upfront costs. In fact, Mark Kim, a principal at MVE Architects, used our Black Spectacles exam prep videos both as exam prep, and as a baseline for technical training for young and mid-level staff. Whenever they had to work on something they hadn’t before, like designing with an escalator, they assigned the escalator videos to bring them up to a baseline level of understanding, which would in turn cut down on the time that the manager or mentor needed to spend with an employee showing him or her a very technical skill.
Licensure
To increase the number of licensed architects at your firm, I think it’s important to offer a variety of incentives to achieve licensure. According to Design Intelligence research, almost 90% of firms are covering expenses associated with the ARE (including online, textbook, or other learning). They are also providing additional income at licensure, and a number of firms even track progress towards licensure on a chart in the office, or cover workshop or conference expenses.
Firms are clearly finding it increasingly important to offer more than just a promotion to encourage employees to pursue licensure, and when they do, I think they’ll also find that their staff are more motivated and engaged at work. They’ll feel more valued and supported on their path. But don’t make advancement in the company their only incentive to work there.
In the end, I think firms are realizing that training their EPs and providing the best resources to be more efficient and more educated on-the-job will enhance their bottom line as a company, all the while showing them that the firm truly cares about their professional development. This will make your staff more likely to invest time into technical training and pursuing licensure, increasing retention rates and the skillset of your employees.
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Marc Teer, AIA, is the founder and CEO of Black Spectacles, a former award winning architect at Gensler, and Assistant Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Black Spectacles is an online learning platform for architects and designers, that offers a software curriculum and an ARE® exam prep curriculum. All of the courses are available on demand, on any device with an internet connection, and are taught by practicing architects working at firms like SOM, Gensler & Krueck + Sexton- some of the most celebrated firms in the world.
(Return to the cover of the 2017 PM Digest: Tips for training employees)