The 2016 Equity in Architecture survey revealed the issue of a leaky pipeline in the profession of architecture. Namely that although men and women were graduating from architecture school at the same rate, the number of women who are AIA members, licensed architects or firm leaders is at approximately 18% of the total. This leaves 32% of women missing from the profession and perhaps victims of a leaky professional pipeline. Although this narrative is a bit limited as it doesn’t take into account the many people, both men & women, who have taken skills derived from an architecture degree and advanced in other professions; this is a baseline metric (based on survey findings) and it confirms that both male and female professionals -- are nine times as likely to work in a firm that is mostly, or entirely, led by men as they are to work in a majority or completely female-led office. The EQxD survey summary goes on to note… “while “glass ceiling” was originally coined to describe the challenges that women face, these barriers within the architectural profession hinder people of color as well as women as they strive to attain top leadership positions within the profession. Both of these groups are less likely than white men to be principals or partners in firms at nearly every level of experience. Even though today’s cohort of emerging professionals includes a significant increase in women and an uptick in people of color (although we still have a long way to go before we reach equal representation), the highest rungs of the profession remain pervasively white, and male.”
The leaky pipeline is a complex system with infinite solutions. There isn’t one silver bullet answer and, unfortunately, many other STEM related careers have similar challenges. Designers Build is one effort in many towards fortifying the pipeline at a local level. From examples of early outreach programs, like AFO’s Architects in Schools program to the Your Street, Your Voice program for high schoolers to professional development courses that build necessary negotiation, presentation, networking, marketing, and business development skills. All of these incremental efforts towards building career confidence, either architectural focused or not, work together in creating a strong foundation that is imperative in retaining talent. The survey findings that detailed the leaky pipeline issue also provided insight into consistent milestones, or pinch points, that either hinder career progression or influence employee retention. These points, marking a career’s progression from graduation through retirement, are seen as pivotal events closely linked to women leaving the profession. Every career path is different and the pinch points effect us all, in different ways and in different chapters of our careers. Yet if each of us zeroed in and applied our skills and creativity towards improving the situation in any single area of the pipeline, we can effect change.
In 2014 an interviewer asked Rosa Sheng, EQxD founder & current AIASF president, where do women end up if they do stay in the profession for 20, 30 years, if they don't have these title roles [in regards to leadership]? She answered with, “well, they do make it to the title role of project manager. Women are good at prioritizing and balancing, so the role seems to be a natural fit. But the last hurdle is the design [leadership] role. Ultimately it takes time. Design isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes a lot of thinking, living, breathing, and eating the project. So if you have an idea, but you have other obligations, and other people have more time to think about design, [your idea] doesn’t always come off as powerful when you’re saying it because somebody else has already detailed or sketched it out.”
Designers build is not only skill building, it’s an effort in reducing roadblocks and offering opportunities benefitting creativity. The intent of these classes & workshops is to foster a female community of designers willing to take creative risks and collaborate to tackle new challenges. Your creativity & curiosity has led you to become designers and architects, Designers Build is dedicated to progressing your practice by connecting your problem-solving skills with real world building projects aligned with community purpose.
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