Year Out Diary: Part 4

ADAPTING

Finding work is difficult at the best of times, but what does one do when the work needed to progress is unavailable, and to work outside of the field doesn’t aid your career path significantly. Of all the architectural students that graduated with me in the summer, very few have found themselves work in an architect’s office. Several have chosen that the profession is no longer suited for them, others are taking time out to decide, not worrying about the need for a job, but several are stuck in an endless trap.

Unable to progress with what they want students have to succumb to pressure and delve in to other jobs as a necessity. These jobs will offer support and a means to an end, but are simply an extension to the waiting.

All through university you are paying to design, with guidance. Part 1 sees a student arrive at a notable level of maturity, sufficient enough to work in the professional environment, still with guidance. Ascertaining the degree enforces the conclusion that we are capable of designing, however lack the knowledge to transition to a built form. This all means that although we are unable to be independent architects, we can still practice and design architecture.

Luke Tyson, a student at the MSA, has found himself in this predicament that is the architectural professions sever lack of positions. Instead of retreating from the battle of finding work, he worked out a way around it. With the help of old tutors and a generous amount of people plans have been laid out for a new architectural community to be set up in the heart of Manchester.

Stepping away from the typical business environment of an architect’s office, Y4 plans to offer Part 1 students the opportunity to gain the relevant year out experience needed to progress in a cooperative work scheme. Competitions will be the main focus, but the workshop-based group will be able to decide what it is they want to design. They will be practicing architecture in a modern adaptable system. Unpaid means the project will be self sufficient, contributors just work the 20hrs needed a week over a few days, leaving the rest of the work for paid work.

The fact that something like this is able to happen only helps to support the importance of adaptability and elevates the study of architecture to a new area of ethics.

The scheme is still being finalized, however Luke has begun to run a blog for the project. Job vacancies, competitions and other news will be posted on the site. If you are interested in the scheme Luke can be contacted at lukejacktyson@live.com. Any support available will go a long way.