AIA CES

While most architecture professionals recognize the benefits of continuing education for career advancement and aptitude, busy and overextended lifestyles demand that professional learning be easily accessible and effective. As time dedicated to learning is at a premium, convenient educational programs take priority for AIA members. Design and implementation are valuable criteria for administering continuing education courses, yet it is crucial to evaluate your course’s content for quality and applicability to member’s needs. Whether you are an architecture firm providing education to staff or manufacturer marketing a product to the industry, it is important to conduct courses which are both engaging and informative. This month’s Provider Spotlight highlights the continuing education programs of architecture firms Lord, Aeck & Sargent, Inc. and EYP Architecture & Engineering past winners of the CES Award for Excellence.

Lord, Aeck & Sargent, based in Atlanta, has implemented a structured continuing education program to help facilitate quality ongoing education for architects, staff, and institutional clients. An effective learning system ensures clients and employees are knowledgeable about emerging industry trends.

Similarly, EYP Architecture & Engineering based in Albany, NY, has established an internal corporate university which is directly tied to the strategic plan of the firm. EYP/U offers training and education to achieve the best possible firm results, while allowing licensed architects to keep their registrations current.

Lord, Aeck & Sargent, Inc. and EYP Architecture & Engineering have shared with CES their insights and best practices for successful continuing education programs.

AIA/CES: In what ways does your firm contribute to continuing education?

Lord, Aeck & Sargent: Every year our internal Lord, Aeck & Sargent University (LASU) program and employee participation steadily grow. The curriculum consists of several categories: design courses, process-oriented programs, building technology courses, leadership classes, and hardware/software tools, taught by internal and external experts and consultants. Courses are presented in a wide variety of formats including lectures, interactive roundtable discussions, user groups, project/construction site tours, online tutorials and instructor-led interactive computer-based courses. Additional training opportunities for external continuing education, seminars and workshops are also offered to complement our internal LASU program, ensuring that a well-rounded and effective training experience is provided for our staff.

EYP Architecture & Engineering: In Fall 2000, EYP leadership embraced the concept of establishing a corporate university. Uniquely different from a traditional education and training program, a corporate university is directly tied to the strategic plan of the firm. EYP is a knowledge-based design firm whose greatest resource is human intellectual capital. Offering employees the opportunity to develop to their fullest intellectual, creative, and leadership potential is an essential characteristic of our culture and critical to the success of our strategic plan. Open to all staff members EYP/U provides training in five key areas: Project Delivery & Technical Expertise; Design Expertise; Strategic Technologies; Energy and Sustainability; Leadership & Personal Development.

AIA/CES: What are your firm’s practices with course development? How do you refine or change your courses based on new research or technology?

LAS: Fortunately for us we actually practice before we teach. The classes are informed by the current work we are doing. This helps to keep the course material current and relevant. Our work requires us to be leaders in our fields, so we are constantly improving our service and deliverables for our clients. This due diligence is automatically factored into our presentations for the courses we deliver.

AIA/CES: How does your firm approach course development and respond to different learning styles?

EYP: EYP/U courses are consistently being evaluated based on employee feedback, industry need, and changes in technology. To appeal to different styles of learning, EYP published a firm-wide survey reflecting staff preferences. This is the second time the firm has done so, in an effort to stay current with learning styles and new technology.

Furthermore, courses are evaluated by a Steering Committee led by the firm's Vice President of Intellectual Content. Based on staff feedback, adherence to the corporate strategic plan, and continuing education requirements, this committee determines which -- and which types -- of courses must be available on a yearly basis.

AIA/CES: What techniques do you employ when teaching a course to adult students?

EYP: The techniques used to teach EYP/U courses are varied, based on where the course lies in the general education to advanced training spectrum. All cases, however, involve the use of advanced communication. For instance, EYP employs advanced telecommunications technology to support effective design meetings and training across multiple locations. The firm’s “Huddle,” driven by a $750,000 investment in LifeSize high-definition video and audio systems, accelerates the ability to create, capture, and share design ideas in real time, regardless of physical location. This technology enables simple, on-demand collaboration without compromising content. By reducing interoffice travel, the Huddle also advances EYP’s goal of shrinking its carbon footprint each year.

AIA/CES: What are the techniques or tools you use to market courses to AIA members as well as other practicing architects?

LAS: Since our clients generally consist of people familiar with the construction industry, we find they are typically AIA members. By ensuring our course materials meet the requirements to receive AIA credits, there is a built-in incentive for AIA members to attend our presentation. Our first objective is to inform the participants of course materials that interest them. Second, we bring the latest ideas in the industry to the audience.

Thank you to Lord, Aeck & Sargent’s Pamela Burnette, Warren Williams, AIA, and Ken Higa, AIA and EYP’s Kelly Donahue and Leila Kamal, AIA for their contributions to this piece.

We will be featuring a column devoted to AIA/CES Providers each month. We are looking for Providers with a story or secret to share regarding course development, marketing, etc.

13 States have upcoming State Licensure Deadlines. Architects licensed in these states may need to fulfill final MCE requirements in order to renew State Licensure. This is an advantageous opportunity for Continuing Education Providers to promote courses that will allow architects licensed in these states to quickly fulfill these requirements. Please refer to the list of states and their MCE requirements.

When a firm takes the initiative to provide internal continuing education programs, both the company and employees benefit from the cooperative approach to learning. A firm builds a strong learning network where peers can collaborate and freely discuss current industry topics, while ensuring architects maintain licensure and AIA memberships. In addition, firms can establish a knowledge base among staff, educating employees about topics specific to the firm’s practices. Employees benefit by saving on cost, travel time, and effort in finding continuing education programs to fulfill licensure requirements and recognize new issues and resources in the field of architecture.

Thomas J. Carlson, AIA, Coordinator of Education and Training for the firm Marshall Craft Associates, Inc. (MCA), shared with AIA Continuing Education the features and benefits of promoting and implementing an in-house education system. Winners of the AIA/CES Award for Excellence in 2007 and 2009, Marshall Craft Associates of Baltimore, MD has supported an internal education system for 15 years and works to create a synergistic knowledge resource. Staff members are an integral part of the development and strategy of the continuing education program.

Employee collaboration is at the center of MCE’s thriving continuing education program. In- house course content directly reflects the input, needs and ideas of MCE’s employees. Carlson described the overall benefits of establishing a committee, consisting of employees who meet on a monthly basis to discuss and “tailor education to topics important to the office,” as resulting in coursework that represents a cross-section of personal viewpoints throughout the office. In addition, MCA management is very involved in refining and growing continuing education programs within the firm. Without the support of the higher staff and management, the continuing education program would not be as effective or well-received. Full employee involvement helps to make sure the program continues to be strong and worthwhile resource for staff.

In addition to five firm-sponsored, off-site workshops per year, MCA schedules lunch sessions, where employees participate in continuing education programs lead by staff or outside vendors. The two-hour off-site workshops are the focus of MCA’s continuing education program and were introduced by the firm when the AIA began requiring continuing education credits for architects. Concentrating on BIM and Design-Build, MCA also holds sessions on technical topics, liability, and public speaking.

Marshall Craft Associates constantly seeks quality and applicability in course content by conducting a survey each Fall to receive feedback and request topics for upcoming classes. MCA provides an all-inclusive education program where every staff member is encouraged to attend and contribute to continuing education sessions.

While Marshall Craft Associates does not deliver continuing education to architects outside of their firm, they advertise their superior education programs as a way to market their firm’s position at the forefront of the latest building technology and design in the field of architecture. Keeping staff up-to-date on relevant information and practices in architecture through continuing education is valuable to the success of MCA. “It’s part of our culture,” explained Carlson.

Thank you to Marshall Craft Associates, Inc.’s Thomas J. Carlson, AIA for contributing to this piece.

We will be featuring a column devoted to AIA/CES Providers each month. We are looking for Providers with a story or secret to share regarding course development, marketing, etc.

Providers, share your story with us on our blog and you could be featured in our next issue!

Results from the AIA commissioned “Continuing Education System (CES) Needs Assessment Study” conducted by Rockbridge Associates, Inc. are in.  The survey, which was conducted with AIA Associate and Licensed Architect members, shows that members are looking for Intermediate courses on most topics.  With that in mind, it is the perfect time to define what makes AIA/CES courses Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level. 

The level of the course is determined by the person designing the course.  The determination is based on the amount of information and at what pace the information will be presented.  If the course will present less information and move at a slower pace, usually it is a beginner course.  However, if the course is moving at a faster pace with more information it is considered to be a higher level course. The Intermediate level will be mid-level.

Providers are now encouraged to add the appropriate course level in the keywords field when registering courses in CES Discovery.  In addition, you can also add the course level as the last sentence in the course description field.
  
By using course levels, Providers can further assist AIA members in finding courses to meet their continuing education needs.  Once a course level has been determined, Providers have indirectly selected their target audience.  Adding course levels also makes a course more searchable in CES Discovery increasing the advertising that a Provider receives.  By offering courses in a variety of levels, Providers widen the scope of attendants and reach members from all levels of the profession.  All-in-all, whether new professionals or content experts, all AIA members need high quality continuing education.  Ensuring your course is a quality course will keep members coming back for more!

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