STUDENT CAREER SEMINARS

Participation in Student Career Seminars has been an ongoing activity since 1992.  I have conducted full day or sessional seminars for students around the province including Estevan Comp, Swift Current Comp, the Regina School Division #4 and the Moose Jaw School Division #1.

The format for these sessions has been more casual than rigid/formal as a means of engaging with the students.  The response to each session is generally positive.

A student hand-out has been prepared for distribution at each session.  This hand-out was prepared to provide an overview of the presentation and additional information for students to take home.  This publication has been compiled and revised over the years to incorporate as much relevant information as possible, without being overly cumbersome.  The presentation follows the format of the hand-out, adding a personal touch to the discussion based on my experience.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DESIGN CLASSES

My involvement with the school system has been ongoing, albeit sporadic, since 1992.  I first worked with Rosemont School (I. Moisuk, Teacher) on the Habitat For Humanity Project. 

Subsequent activities included:

• Architecture Goes To School (1998): This project was a multi-disciplinary effort involving eight schools in the Regina Area.  The efforts of the students resulted in a redesign of the Wascana Park Area.  A subsequent presentation and model were set-up in the Cornwall Centre Shopping Mall during Design Week in the Province of Saskatchewan.   This effort was one component of the RAIC Festival of Architecture which was held in Regina in 1998.

• McVeety Design Class (2005): My involvement in the McVeety Design Class was the result of engaging with Educators during the course of My Thesis.  Several classes were held with Grade Seven and Eight Students, involving them in the process of design and construction.  The primary student activity was design of a residence for themselves, with the final outcome being construction of a model based on their design.

• Argyle Design Class (2007): This effort involved Grades Six and Seven at a local elementary school.  The process follows the McVeety format, with some alternative strategies developed to respond to differing student needs.

The Elementary School activities have prompted me to prepare a brief outline of the requirements and intentions for an Elementary Design Class.  A copy of this outline is available for viewing by selecting the icon at the end of this section.

INTERPRETING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

I have been involved with the Regina Construction Association since 1997 as an Instructor for Construction Documents.

The RCA determined a need to conduct Blueprint Reading Seminars for their members though their initial thoughts dealt only with the drawing components.  This program has since evolved beyond that level.  It was my initiative to develop a course that covered the full range of construction documents. I felt that it wasn't enough to teach "how to read prints", rather that it was important to teach "what does this set of documents (drawings and specifications) mean to me?".

We have provided more than a dozen separate sessions of instructions to a wide range of construction trades.  Attendees have included new members of the industry as well as seasoned veterans.  One member noted at the conclusion of an early session "I wish I would have done this years ago....I would have made a lot more money if I had learned then what all this stuff meant".

Sessions have been completed for the Regina Construction Association on both levels, including the full course.  I have recently completed a successful session for the Ottawa Construction Association.

The program has grown to cover different levels of instruction, depending on the level of interest for attendants as well as their relative experience.  These  levels include:

• Level I - Blueprint Reading:  The original course I wrote, revising it as the courses ran and additional information was developed.  This level is intended as a primer for trades to get them comfortable and practiced in reading documents and finding necessary information.  This level also includes hands-on practice with project drawings either brought in by myself or supplied by the RCA.

• Level II - Interpreting Construction Documents:  This level was created to provide additional information for members of the trades who wished to carry on past the Beginner's level.  The purpose of this level project is to provide in-depth knowledge on why buildings are constructed in certain ways, how to find specific information and to educate on the affects of environment and elements on a structure.  This level forges much deeper into the rationale behind the construction documents, adding the context of theory that may be applicable to construction detailing.

• Level III - Full Session:  This level is the combination of both Levels I and II.  The purpose of this level is to provide individuals with a full day session of instruction that covers all aspects of the instruction related to Interpreting Construction Documents.  This level has evolved from the previous two, incorporating the basic information as well as additional information discovered/created during completion of my Educational Thesis. 

• This level has been GOLD SEAL CERTIFIED by the CANADIAN CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION.