Architects vs Technicians

There are two distinct professions within architecture in Ireland, an architect that goes to school for 5 years and learns how to design and a technician that goes to school for three years and learns how to put together a set of construction drawings, understands construction, detailing and drafting. In America we are only taught the 5 years and then have to some how on our own figure out how to do the other three, which iscoincidentally the three years that we are required to intern before taking the architect exams. They do not have drafters here since what the country is in dire need of architects and technitians knowing how to do the building, hence Ben and I being here.

It is nice to finally do a job that my degree is actually for and I can finally design. I am rusty and a little self conscious, but with the pace that things are moving, I can only hesitate for 2.123432 seconds before I have to make a decision and get cracking on a design. Should be good for my confidence when I come back to the US to do architecture there, or I will just have to work with my friend Michael again since he is always good for bouncing ideas off of, and only being made fun of a little bit. With the departure of Jacquie and two other architects throughout the year, our team now only has three architects besides my Director, so on a team of 20 I have a lot of help trying to get a set pulled together. But at the same time, there just are not that many people to ask questions to, so there have been a lot of educated guessing that so far have been right. I just had my yearly review and they are happy with what I have been doing since with all the projects they have been throwing at me it was sink or swim, and luckily I know how to swim! I will try to post some stuff on some of the other projects I have been working on eventually, but sadly Ben has to remain confidential, if we told you, we would have to kill you. Secret government stuff!!