I spent the last 2 days at the AIA Austin Summer Conference, which was chock full of a wide variety of topics. It was unlike some other conferences I have attended that are filled with fluffy topics (sometimes too academic) that cater to 'the theme' of the conference and make you feel like you are on a professional vacation (or worse, back in architecture school). Thankfully, this one was very education-oriented, relevant, tangible, with many practical ideas and take-aways. The only unifying theme was that it was all related to local happenings and people. I attended sessions that discussed the City's initiatives to address our unprecedented growth through Imagine Austin; new building code updates (sigh!); perfect wall, insulated concrete wall, healthy construction; also, business development and legalities of professional practice. It was encouraging to see what some others are doing with Building Information Modeling (BIM), which I have been using since 2007.
I thought it was worth my time (and money). There was just one afternoon session that was a waste of my time - but, that was simply poor choice on my part. It would help if the 'brief description' was more accurate to help us make better choices. Bonus - I was able to meet a good chunk of my continuing education requirements. If you missed it, check it out next summer.
Continuing Education Requirements
As a licensed/registered Architect in Texas, I have to meet the continuing education (CE) requirements set by the state licensing board. These change over the years and are different for each state.
I am also a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a national professional association for architects in the USA. AIA also has continuing education requirements, that are different from the state.
The things that Architects need to know, and pay attention to, are vast and complex. But, that's what makes the architecture profession so fulfilling. It feeds your curiosity. Some professionals choose to reach far and wide, others choose a deep and narrow focus. Either way, you've got to keep your antennae up and stay involved in the conversation. This was always true, but even more important today, when things are changing and evolving at a rapid pace. The challenge is to keep up with it all and still be present in your day to day goals and accomplishments.
Cheers,
Sharon.