FUTURE OF THE WORKFORCE

What’s the next…..architectural practice? This is the question the YAF (Young Architects Forum) is asking to set ground work in place for the next YAF Summit. As we begin to look towards YAF Summit 25 in early 2017, we find our focus engaging the discussion for the Future of the Workforce. Every five years, the Young Architects Forum (YAF) hosts a summit to reevaluate the needs of young architects. The 2012 summit marked the twentieth anniversary of the group, bringing together more than 60 design professionals – including students, interns, young architect AIA members and non-members – to discuss top issues affecting young architects. The YAF Summit outcomes assist with the development of the strategic plan for the YAF. The YAF Focus Group will identify commonalties for the futuristic topics on Young Architect’s minds by engaging a variety of AIA members, components, industry leaders, students and collaterals. The end result of the research will be a video presentation of findings, interviews and what the future workforce looks like for an architect.
 
The YAF and NAC held their annual joint meeting last month in conjunction with AIA Grassroots. Brainstorming on various topics for our future was a large focus and re-occurring ideas surfaced. Those being centered on Technology, Collaboration, Diversification, Re-thinking Delivery Methods, and Work-Life Balance were among the top themes. Now that we have these themes identified, what does it all mean for the future of our profession? This is the exciting part: to dream up what our future will become…easy, right?! Now, it is easy to for us as designers to dream up what could be, but what is the reality? What is the pace of technology, materials and delivery based on what we can dream up in our heads? How do we want to deliver our designs and work with contractors/clients? Is there more collaboration with BIM technologies? Do we have our clients put on 3D glasses and actually take a tour through their new building or space? Does code writing become more mainstream for architecture?....OR are we designing for another planet, say Mars and Outer Space?!... Yes, some of this is already happening, but what happens next and how do we use it to our advantage?
 
As our CSR YARD, I will be collecting data and insight from our Emerging Professionals Committee. I encourage anyone to reach out to their local/state representative on the committee, so they in turn can bring your ideas back to our group. This is an exciting time for us as Architects, as we can help direct the future of how we work, produce, design and deliver our phenomenal ideas!

Katie Harms, AIA
AIA National Young Architects Forum | this isn't your father's yaf!
Young Architect Regional Director, AIA Central States Region