An oft-repeated but sobering statistic is that women make up nearly half the architecture graduates in Australia, however only 20% go on to be registered and even fewer go on to pursue a long-term career. This attrition has been brilliantly researched by Parlour who continue to shine a spotlight on the issue and explore solutions.
Many professionals dedicate their successful careers to finding Mentors who inspire and shape them. With the mission statement to provide crucial peer-based support to the careers of women architects, the Australian Institute of Architects launched the Constructive Mentoring Program (CMP) a few years ago. This years program was generously sponsored by Architectural Window System (AWS).
The 2015 session of the CMP was launched last Tuesday night at the Victorian chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects. Chapter manager Alison Cleary, who outlined the program framework to new participants, chaired the evening. This year’s program includes 40 participants who have been carefully matched as Mentor and Mentee based on previously submitted criteria. Such an approach bolsters the chances of successful relationships being forged that are mutually beneficial.
Mutually beneficial? Yes, mentoring is most certainly a two-way street. This sentiment was echoed by one of the speakers of the evening:
“The process of sharing makes it a rich experience for the mentor too….the program has given me life-changing connections and friendships.”
-Rebecca Naughton, Mentor, 2013 Victorian Emerging Architect
As a woman in the profession of Architecture, I confess there was also a palpable sense of joy to find oneself in the company of a roomful of women architects. Men are often overwhelmingly present at professional events and forums. Helena Bubica, from AWS, mentioned in her opening speech the challenges of being one amongst few women in the technical sector.
Through my conversations over the evening, a few of the Mentors revealed that they too wished to be mentored. Mentoring isn’t something one needs simply at the start of a career. There are different challenges at each stage and we should seek different Mentors for them. It is also a reflection of the fact that the dearth of women ‘at the top’, means there are many mid-career women who are still looking for mentors. In which case, men need to step in to fill that gap. In fact, a few of the mentors this year are men.
The Chapter manager’s closing remarks provide some good food for thought to even those that did not attend the evening:
“What do you hope to achieve? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where were you in your career 5 years ago?”
The act of simply articulating answers to these questions can be the first step towards making your dreams a reality.
Written by: Sonia Sarangi of Atelier Red + Black (Victorian Event Correspondent for AWS)
Sonia Sarangi is co-director of Atelier Red+Black, an emerging architecture practice in Melbourne. She has a Masters in Architecture from the University of Melbourne and has previously worked for a small practice (Melbourne) and large international practice (Singapore). She is a proud supporter of Parlour and firmly believes that good design enriches life. She can be found on Instagram: @thesarangi
