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And remember the difference between engineers and technicians are partly about creative/novel though (so perhaps art, perhaps philosophy) but definitely about communication - writing and speaking - so think about English as a definite, possibly a foreign language and maybe even something involving public speaking or stage performances.
These things tend to be more important at different times - creativity and writing earlier in a career, speaking and debating as you become more senior.
Final thought - in electrical engineering there is the Power Academy scheme (for now) that will pay a hefty amount towards a university education at certain institutions. Soon there may well be graduate apprenticeships. Other technical disciplines will have their own schemes. Well worth checking out.
If you want your kids to be good at engineering, don't replace their art with another technical subject. STEM is OK, but STEAM is getting more traction as people realize the need for creativity in engineering.
Its perhaps also a question of whether you want to work for Sir Lawrie Barratt or Zaha Hadid or Thomas Heatherwick, or even if you want to [i]be[/i] Lawrie Barratt or Zaha Hadid or Thomas Heatherwick
Neither understand that you don't get pipeless pipes or ductless ducts yet. And then complain they have to lower ceilings, lose storage space, etc., because they haven't left enough room for them.
You've been working with the wrong Architects then, as that is something we take quite seriously.
You've been working with the wrong Architects then, as that is something we take quite seriously.
Nope, it's just that, like every other profession on the planet, there is a spectrum of competency.
Not everyone can be a superstar and the reality is that for every Norman Foster there are a thousand Norman Wisdoms.
Both those Normans got knighted. I'd say they were both fairly competent in their fields.
As it happens, I studied architecture and now spend most of my time drawing pretty pictures. Oh, and back on topic, I did art at higher, but didn't need it to get onto the architecure course that I ended up doing. It was however undoubtedly beneficial while doing the course.
And just for balance and to continue the theme of generalising, services engineers, structural engineers and QSs are all workshy and incompetent!
As you may have noticed, I rarely stick up for Architects these days, but it is fair to say the industry is expecting them to be jacks and jills of all trades these days, to a point where they are spread far too thinly to actually architect.
You are as much a psychiatrist/marriage guidance councilor as you are an architect, so perhaps your son should study that as it will certainly come in use later on.
mikey74, this is sadly very true.
QSs are all workshy and incompetent!
Guilty as charged yer'onner 😉
FWIW I would advise any kid against taking up any construction related profession. The boom and bust nature of the industry gets very wearing .
Mikey74 has nailed it but apart from just being a Jack of all trades it's more like you're expected to be an absolute expert in everything and the risk involved in this idea is becoming ever greater as society becomes more litigious. The Architect's Registration Board are also dangerous because they have no concept of the reality of being an architect in the 21st century and are just used as a big stick for clients to hit helpless architects with...
...Actually let's forget being pragmatic and reflective. If it were my son there's no way I'd suggest he become an architect but if it's what he really wants then I guess you've got to let him go for it.
i find all the hate between architects, technicians and structurals quite amusing, cant you all have a group hug and appreciate each others talents. 🙄
i find all the hate between architects, technicians and structurals quite amusing, cant you all have a group hug and appreciate each others talents.
Nope - the architects would get in a fluster about how the hug looked from every angle, the QS's would stress about exactly how many people were in the hug and the engineers would be too worried that everyone fell over. It'd never work 😀
...Actually let's forget being pragmatic and reflective. If it were my son there's no way I'd suggest he become an architect but if it's what he really wants then I guess you've got to let him go for it.
I wasn't going to say this, but it is true. Our office gets quite a few school children in to do their week or so of work experience, and it can be difficult to not be completely negative about the profession, and indeed as perchy suggests, the construction industry as a whole.
There is so little respect or trust (or group hugging) between each discipline, that everything is a battle. Add in the ridiculous procurement processes conjured up by the government for public work, the associated fee levels, lack of appreciation of what good value actually means (clue: not always the cheapest), and it really isn't a great industry to be involved in.
meh
Lol PP
Nope - the architects would get in a fluster about how the hug looked from every angle, the QS's would stress about exactly how many people were in the hug and the engineers would be too worried that everyone fell over. It'd never work
It's because it hasn't been project managered!
It's because it hasn't been project managered!
Naw! the PM would stand outside the hug being all arsey about how it wasn't being implemented as per his instructions.
True.
Also, the structures, QSs and architects would be told to go away because the plant needs all the space.
And be on a higher wage despite doing the least amount of work. All the members would have to join the group as per the programme: anything done out of sequence would crush his spirit and you'd never hear the end of it.
ducks in a row, ducks in a row
ducks in a row, ducks in a row
Well played!
Cheers all - options open and what he enjoys is the agenda... That and riding his bike lots 🙂
Oh - catch up when you're next in Elgin ?
It was sunny there this afternoon. Currently sat in nice Italian in Aviemore on my way home.... 😳
@mikey74: there was a large element of tongue firmly in cheek in my reply. Although I do like to remind my architectural colleagues that they know f*** all.... 🙂
However I did deal with one architect who 'designed' a smallish respite centre, got it signed off with the client without [i]any[/i] pant space whatsoever! When I asked him why he hadn't he replied that he didn't know how much to allow so he left it out.... Then he asked if we could put the plant in the roof space. I think he was removed from the job not long after that.
So, yeah, definitely the wrong kind of architects!
Metalheart: Surely pants can be stored in a chest of drawers or similar???
......or the pantry
Oops, well the design [i]was[/i] pants. I must have been transferring.... 😳
cant you all have a group hug and appreciate each others talents.
Only if the architect can claim the hug to be their idea and for it to be bigger and bolder than any other hug.
It constantly amazes me how little Universities teach their architecture students about building construction. Personally, I think the first year should be a completely given over to Building Construction, not art thinly veiled as architecture.
When I did my part 1 at Strathclyde - it came up in 3rd year: the course was a study of "architecture" rather than preparing students to [i]be[/i] architects.