Should your child be an architect?     027

It is very often the case that children in Years 11 and 12 have almost no idea of what career area they would like to enter, let alone what university course. Parents can become increasingly worried as time ticks by, and then finally, the student chooses the most general type of course he or she can find.  Sometimes however the opposite happens: children just announce what they are going to do; ‘I am going to be a doctor’ or ‘I want to be a fashion designer’. In this entry I talk about looking for evidence as to appropriate career choice. Ideally the child doesn’t choose a career; the career chooses the child. That is, it is a matter of matching the characteristics of the child to the characteristics of the career.

One important key to career choice is what type of behaviour your child displays and what types of experiences have he or she has had, and what the effects were. It sounds a tall order but parents and children both need to look back over the years for any indications. We have all read of the fabulously successful career of Captain James Cook but it was a fact that at age 16 he was apprenticed to a grocer. He worked hard but in the evening he would join the fishermen and listen to stories. He would go with them on short trips outside the bay and found himself “attracted to the skills adventures and constant stimulus of sailors’ life” (Richard Hough, Captain James Cook, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1995, p. 6). He then became an apprentice seaman at the port of Whitby, passed all his examinations, and well, the rest is history.

A most dramatic example of career selection is that of Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of modern nursing and public health reform. Apparently “from about the age of nine she made a habit of noting down details of the condition of individuals who were ill or in need of care” (Mark Bostridge, Florence Nightingale: The Woman and Her Legend, London: Penguin Group, 2008. p. 48). At age 15 Florence would often go up into the village during the evening in order to care for someone who was ill (p. 50). At age 16 Florence Nightingale said that she had experienced a call from God to his service (p. 51).

This woman was described as a ministering angel (p. 252). Indeed “… emotive letters from soldiers [were read out] which described kissing Miss Nightingale’s shadow as she passed through the wards.” (p. 293). Well we have all been to hospital, as either patients or visitors, and I don’t think anyone has seen patients kissing the shadows of nurses.

Now let’s talk about architecture. It is your child suited to this career—is there any interest, aptitude or commitment that is visible? Well there are many definitions of architecture in the dictionary. It is all about ‘designing buildings’ but other definitions speak of the relationships between shapes and spaces, forms and functions. Some writers link architecture to national character, and others speak of its organic and flexible nature, and how buildings speak, manifesting their identity. Architecture is a profession with a life force and a soul. I think you have the idea—there has to be career passion.

The childhood of famous architects seems to be quite variable. However all seem to have been able to look into and become involved with a different type of world. This engagement apparently then changes or matures into a love of design and construction. If your child is in Year 12 then he or she should have a favourite building, and should certainly appreciate some of the basics, that is, far more than knowing that buildings have doors and windows. The ability to draw is probably relevant.

When your child has gone to a museum for example what types of exhibits typically hold attention?  While walking or travelling about what does your son or daughter like to look at, touch, think and talk about?  Have you noticed that your child has any particular skill or ability which sets him or her apart from other children? There has to be something there; it’s a search for evidence.  Try to arrange some type of actual work experience; that is what Captain James Cook did, and it crystallised his thoughts about career.

Teacher education used to be characterised by very early exposure of students to ‘practice teaching’, perhaps after only a few months. Some students, in reality, cannot positively relate to children and may even dislike them. In front of a class, working with children, such attitudes become manifest. The idea of course is to rescue students—and children for that matter—from an inappropriate career choice. In like manner medical students are quickly exposed to dissection and other ‘practical’ aspects. Here too the intention is to confirm the appropriateness of the career choice.

So parents, help your child choose an appropriate career area by looking for any type of behavioural or attitudinal manifestations of interests and talents, or differences between your son or daughter and other children. Even during primary school trends may have emerged. A number of singers in the Australian Opera, for example, showed intense interest in music and singing—and aptitude—before they entered high school. Involve your child’s relatives because they will have spent time with your child—in the business of career selection most children need as much help as they can get. And who knows, perhaps your child will design another convention centre for Sydney.

You may like to read a longer article on this website, Parents/Getting your child career smart. It deals with the whole career choice process, a wider range of indicators, and sources of assistance in vocational choice. Best wishes.

All content copyright—Mark Thackray—Australian Educational Services