PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:

It’s that time of year when college students are looking for summer internships and students who are graduating this spring are seeking full-time positions in architectural firms. I’d like to take a moment to say thank you to the architecture schools around our state for continuing to work with our future architects and providing leading architectural education in Michigan. Several states have very few or even no educational institutions with formal programs devoted to architecture. Fortunately, we have a historic and thriving architectural educational system in our state, with five quality schools that produce the caliber of candidates we see each spring looking for employment in our profession.

Over the past couple of years, many of our firms have had a difficult time finding staff. AIA Michigan Monday Minutes seem to constantly have positions available for all kinds of architectural staff around the state. As many of our firms struggle with how to attract and retain talent, we’ve all been exploring variations of the remote work phenomenon and evolving office environments that staff desire, while balancing the collaboration and mentorship that make our studios function and flourish. It’s not enough anymore to just offer a robust salary and benefits package. As people are exploring options for employment, they are looking for a place that offers work-life balance and a value set that aligns with theirs. They want a place where their passion for architecture can be explored and expressed. Read more.