Each year, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) invites architectural professionals to work and support the next generation of students of architecture.
Within our Canterbury studio, Robin Spencer and Giuesseppe Brancaccio are mentoring six students from the Kent School of Architecture who are undertaking their final year of Part 1 studies. The students, alongside Robin and Giuesseppe, have the chance to present and discuss work currently in process and completed projects.
Mentoring through RIBA was a key part of my journey to being an architect, and as a professional mentoring continues to play a role in my continued development. Therefore, I understand the value that can be added as well as the importance of assisting future generations navigate the difficult transition from education to practice. – R. A. Spencer
These mentoring sessions provide the students with invaluable guidance as they prepare to enter practice and continue their journey to becoming a fully chartered architect.
Benefits for the students include:
- The opportunity to draw comparisons between the design processes they developed in an academic setting and the processes and procedures employed in a professional environment, thus facilitating both the student’s refinement of their working practices to suit professional practice and giving them confidence to deploy the skills they have learnt into a professional setting.
- The benefit of an open channel with a professionally qualified person to ask any questions they may have about either their professional work or their route to RIBA accreditation.
- Gaining an understanding of the day-to-day activities and pressures of professional practice.
For those colleagues who become mentors, not only is it a rewarding experience personally but there are professional advantages too. They can keep up to date with the methods and content of architectural education, especially the approach to sustainability, as well as supporting RIBA in making the architectural profession more accessible. The transition between Part 1 graduation and moving into professional practice can be a difficult one, so by providing mentored students with support and guidance helps to ease this process.
Through this scheme, Corstorphine & Wright, as a national AJ100 practice, can continue to maintain strong relationships with local institutions and the communities we work within. It also gives us the opportunity to watch out for up-and-coming talent with the potential for future collaboration.
