by: Jessica Sheridan Assoc. AIA LEED AP
When I signed up for this year’s national AIA convention in Boston (May 15-17), I was pleased to see so many programs for emerging professionals. This, and the short distance from NYC, should help attract local interns and young architects who usually can’t afford such events. Still, there’s more to be done to encourage them to take advantage of the learning and networking opportunities the convention offers.
At every convention I’ve attended I am asked why more young designers do not attend. The answer is simple: money, time, and deadline pressure. Even though getting to Boston is relatively cheap, basic registration fees are $475 ($425 if you register before April 4), and hotels are approximately $150 per night. This is more than one week’s salary for most interns. Considering they usually spend half their monthly pay on rent, this is a significant cost. The AIA has relieved some of the burden by offering attendees who are new members or associate members within the last year free registration, but this fails to cover everyone. Also, many firms pay for employees to go to conventions; yet, often interns are not included in this list.
On top of that, young architects usually get 10 days of vacation. To take two off for the convention cuts into this time considerably. Also, there’s pressure to work long overtime hours and weekends to meet tough deadlines. Although the stress is universal in the profession, many times young designers stay the latest and work the most hours — often because they are trying to make a good impression on their bosses.
I agree with many previous convention attendees that it is important for emerging architects to get more involved with AIA events. And I have found the conventions not just educational, but also fun because I have met so many different professionals in the field. I hope principals of firms will do more to help persuade their interns to attend this year, whether it is by sponsoring a few of their interns or by allowing them to take a couple of days off to attend (and letting them know that it is alright to do so). Likewise, I hope that interns reach out to each other and carpool or share rooms together to lessen the expense. Perhaps the Emerging NY Architects (ENYA) committee could reach out to young architects to help form these connections before the event. With that, a young demographic might breathe new life into this year’s convention.