Back from the drawing board

"FOR THE FIRST few weeks of the course I wondered if I was ever going to get to grips with what was going on. But suddenly things clicked and now I have enough knowledge to at least be able to access information or drawings when I need them," says Grainne Mallon, one of 10 architects who participated in the FAS AutoCAD course.

"The course was aimed at those with minimal knowledge of computer aided design, and it took us through all the basics in a well presented and informative way," she says. "I had done a computer course when I was at college many moons ago, but it was virtually no help in the new CAD environment.

"And as our profession has become increasingly influenced by computers, I felt I needed to get up to speed with developments."

Grainne Mallon has been running her own small practice for the past five years. Previously she had spent 18 years on the planning side of Dublin County Council. But it was not until she set up on her own that she really noticed her lack of computer skills.

"My technicians are computer literate, and I could see the advantages of being able to work on screen when it comes to making changes to drawings or showing a scheme for plumbing or electricity," she says. "I still think pen and paper will endure, but more at the initial stage before the information is transferred onto screen for further use.

The AutoCAD course was run on Saturday mornings over 16 weeks at the FAS training centre in Loughlinstown, Dublin (which has a suite of CAD stations), and it was divided into two main modules. The first covered PC fundamentals and computer architecture, and the second was an introduction to the AutoCAD system of computer aided design.

"It was very much an introduction to the subject, but it was also an important first step for architects who saw the need for their businesses to develop in this way," says Jim Wadden, section head of FAS in Loughlinstown.

"The course was a response to the fact that CAD has become a major part of architectural practice over the past five years, and it will become even more significant in the next five as virtually all architectural drawing moves on screen, adds John Graby, general secretary of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.

"This development was a potential problem for more mature architects who had no experience of working with computers, so we approached FAS to see if they could come up with a suitable training course for our members."

Ten people paid their own way to take part in the pilot project; Graby is hoping that the success of the course means it will run again both in Dublin and at regional centres.

"The fact that it was held on a Saturday was ideal because most of our members are in practice and could not afford to take time off during the week. Also, we were able to keep the cost reasonable, which was important as some of the commercially run courses are very expensive.

"There may be a perception out there that architects are well paid, but the majority are at the lower end of the income scale among construction professionals," Graby says.

"The course fulfilled a genuine training need among mid career architects and it will ensure that they can work more effectively in the future," he continues. "What used to be developing technology is fast becoming essential technology, and this is by no means confined to large organisations it is equally relevant for small and medium sized practices.

Dublin architect Ann Blackwell also took part in the course - and she too found it difficult to begin with. "I had done a computer course back in 1968, but of course everything has changed since then and I felt totally intimidated by the new technology," she says. "However, I was very anxious to overcome my fears - and I must say the FAS course provided an excellent introduction to the whole area. We were given a good grounding in the basics, and while we were only there for a short period, the tutors succeeded in giving us a very good snapshot of what of course is a huge panorama.

Blackwell set up her own practice 10 years ago, and she employs five staff. "We introduced computers into the office a couple of years ago, and the first year was a nightmare as everything settled down. But I think that is a common experience; we are beginning to see benefits of the technology now and the system is beginning to pay its way," she says.

I think most of those on the course felt apprehensive initially, but once I got over feeling tentative about using the technology, I began to thoroughly enjoy the course - and I've become hooked even to the extent of getting my own computer."