How do I get a job at a sustainable design firm (when things improve)

[Guy Stivers]

I’ve got thirty-years in the business (landscape architecture is a business!) and found that if a firm says they practice “sustainable landscape design” most likely they don’t. If you want to do sustainable design don’t look at the self proclaim, look at me, I’m a LEED certified design firm; go talk to a local environmental non-profit (watershed protection, a Land Trust, a natural resources agency) who could use your services NOW. You won’t make much money but you’ll get a better understanding of your local environmental issues and you get to work with passionate people. Many of these non-profits are well connected and funded. In relatively short time you might find yourself talking to CEO’s, City/County Representatives, future employers and clients. You’ll learn rapidly what “real” sustainability is all about – its about people, business, connections and understanding of local environmental issues. THEN RUN FOR CONGRESS ! ! !

[Roland Beinert]

Sounds like a something worth exploring. Would I need my LA liscence first or are there landscape architects employed by the non-profits? I stopped by a non-profit here in Boise a while ago to see if they might have something for me. I think I took the wrong approach, though. I asked for a job directly rather than discussing the issues and seeing where I might be able to help them. There’s plenty of groups here in Boise, though.
Congress?!! Ugh! I wouldn’t have the people skills.

[Tim Marten]

I got my Permaculture certification in 08 and your right in saying it has a lot of overlap with being and thinking like an LA or and ecological designer. I Know one thing about my Permaculture background now it that it starts a conversation and a conversation is an opportunity. I was in a three day intensive design charette on a JJR and before the end of it i had both the 2 JJR LA’s on the team on board and grasping what it was and how to apply it to LA.

[Guy Stivers]

Permaculture certification is good; however, not very applicable in this current economy. Work on becoming a ISA certified arborist and then study “urban forestry’. Our current understanding of “sustainbility” started with the forestry industry. With this certification and focus you’ll enhance your chance at employment.

The arborist and urban foresters are ten-years ahead of the landscape architects on the subject of “sustainability”. They manage the landscape and can tell you what works. Consider this fact, the average life span of a urbanized street tree is only eight-years! That’s not sustainable, landscape architects can do better but they need to understand the biology of trees.

See James Urban FASLA, landscape architect and arborist.
See Gifford Pinchot, father of forestry conservation and contempory with Fredrick Law Olmstead (collaborated on the Biltmore)

[Roland Beinert]

What’s involved in getting certified? Would it be easier to get a job with the government? The government jobs seem to be the most stable ones at this point.

[Roland Beinert]

I really want to get my permaculture certification, but the courses have always been expensive and at the wrong time of year. I agree that it’s worth it, even if a lot of employers don’t know about it. But I’d be getting it more for my own satisfaction, I guess. I already have the manual and know plenty of very good permaculture designers.

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