Curious what kind of internal training is offered at everyone's firms? I've experienced ad hoc ones that barely resemble lessons to structured ones with time tables. Most of the time though, one learns on the job. Now that I'm in a position to train new staff, something I'd taken for granted is now a challenge (and problem too I suppose).
The only dedicated training I've gotten are more specific presentations about things people are working on, new software features, past projects, etc.
We do have an office manual for CAD and Revit that I refer to all the time, though. Covers all the basics so we set up and use files in a similar manner. Not sure if anyone else reads it...
tbt to 2003, joining a landscape architecture company of about 150 people, we had a refreshing course on autocad during "orientation week", then small internal courses on hand drawing, project management, principles of community design, construction methods, deliverables standards, etc. It was good and well done, but there was a principal full time dedicated to these programs and it was all taught by current employees.
It's me... I'm in the in-house training program. Mostly revit and I'm the author of our office manual and template... but no-one bothers to listen and ownership has no backbone to enforce standards so there is a huge gap in quality and craft between the staff. Hence why we have A teams, B teams, and the rest.
I'm sorry you aren't supported with your quality efforts and hope you find meaning and satisfaction elsewhere in your role.
Apr 4, 24 9:12 am ·
·
Non Sequitur
Oh, don't get me wrong, QA and training is tangential to my real role and there is plenty to be satisfied with with the buildings I'm designing and overseeing. What some in my office don't realize is that if they slack off or produce mediocre docs, then they get relegated to the C team and therefore get the boring projects that don't require high design or intelligent problem solving.
We hold regular internal lunch and learns on things like contracts, insurance, office standards, lessons learned (ie mistakes). We also give everybody a generous stipend that they can use for whatever training they want - it doesn't roll over if unused at the end of the year, but since we instituted it 2.5 years ago, I believe only one person has fully utilized it.
Prior to my partners and I buying the firm, there was essentially nothing.
Dang guys, these are some great replies. It does seem like leadership has to make a dedicated financial and manpower effort to training if they want a cohesive plan.
It does involve some work but mostly it's money. It's also important that the team is interested in learning.
Apr 4, 24 10:21 am ·
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monosierra
True, I find the difference between learning from a video/lecture/demo way different from learning directly from experience. The eureka moment when a newly acquired skill helps solve a real world
problem tends to leave a deeper impression than watching even the best tutorials.
What are your in-house training programs?
Curious what kind of internal training is offered at everyone's firms? I've experienced ad hoc ones that barely resemble lessons to structured ones with time tables. Most of the time though, one learns on the job. Now that I'm in a position to train new staff, something I'd taken for granted is now a challenge (and problem too I suppose).
The only dedicated training I've gotten are more specific presentations about things people are working on, new software features, past projects, etc.
We do have an office manual for CAD and Revit that I refer to all the time, though. Covers all the basics so we set up and use files in a similar manner. Not sure if anyone else reads it...
tbt to 2003, joining a landscape architecture company of about 150 people, we had a refreshing course on autocad during "orientation week", then small internal courses on hand drawing, project management, principles of community design, construction methods, deliverables standards, etc. It was good and well done, but there was a principal full time dedicated to these programs and it was all taught by current employees.
It's me... I'm in the in-house training program. Mostly revit and I'm the author of our office manual and template... but no-one bothers to listen and ownership has no backbone to enforce standards so there is a huge gap in quality and craft between the staff. Hence why we have A teams, B teams, and the rest.
I'm sorry you aren't supported with your quality efforts and hope you find meaning and satisfaction elsewhere in your role.
Oh, don't get me wrong, QA and training is tangential to my real role and there is plenty to be satisfied with with the buildings I'm designing and overseeing. What some in my office don't realize is that if they slack off or produce mediocre docs, then they get relegated to the C team and therefore get the boring projects that don't require high design or intelligent problem solving.
We hold regular internal lunch and learns on things like contracts, insurance, office standards, lessons learned (ie mistakes). We also give everybody a generous stipend that they can use for whatever training they want - it doesn't roll over if unused at the end of the year, but since we instituted it 2.5 years ago, I believe only one person has fully utilized it.
Prior to my partners and I buying the firm, there was essentially nothing.
We have:
Monday morning lessons learned: individuals go through just that - things learned via project experience.
Monday morning training: a partner will review 'how to' type things regarding our standards, building science, ect.
New team members will attend a week of Revit training (if needed). The firm pays everything and pays the team member for their time.
Several of our team members will attend ICC seminars / certification and AutoDesk University each year.
Once every three years every architect is allowed to attend our local AIA conference. The firm pays for everything.
When big code changes are going to take place (ie moving to the 2024 IBC) the firm will send the entire office to the all day class.
Dang guys, these are some great replies. It does seem like leadership has to make a dedicated financial and manpower effort to training if they want a cohesive plan.
It does involve some work but mostly it's money. It's also important that the team is interested in learning.
True, I find the difference between learning from a video/lecture/demo way different from learning directly from experience. The eureka moment when a newly acquired skill helps solve a real world problem tends to leave a deeper impression than watching even the best tutorials.
Wait, you guys got training???
No lunch, no learn
Infomercials about products don’t count, doesn’t matter if they serve potato chips or not.
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