Stunted future for landscape architects?

[Samuel J. Jimenez]

I graduated with a 5-year Bachelors of Landscape Architecture in 2007. One year later, we heard the first few window panes of the crystal palaces the banking industry created for themselves came tumbling down. The sounds of shattered glass were only muffled by the bursting of the real estate and manufacturing bubbles. In one fell swoop, the world economy had shifted and people’s lives had changed forever. While some were able to hold on to jobs for a few more years, many people lost jobs, houses and even families.

I was able to keep my first job for a few years due to the fact that I was a part of a small atelier design firm that specialized in landscape architecture and civil engineering. We were 8 designers runner lean and mean, as were many at that time. I was the third person laid off after the work started to dry up. The guy laid off before me had just had an addition to his house constructed for his 2 month old new born. Its four years later and I have remained “underemployed” and have had to take jobs as a consultant for city and non-profits. I even took a job with a prominent non-profit teaching landscaping and landscape maintenance to work-release approved inmates within the prison system. The hourly rate was decent and it was an entry into a great non-profit. It wasn’t till I found myself teaching 12 prison inmates chain sawing in the woods, that I realized, maybe I should not have gone to school for landscape architecture?

Now that I have spent the past two years working as a community planner, aiding communities redevelop after natural disasters, I find myself attempting to get back into the private design sector. My contract was for 4 month but I’ve been extended 5 times. After 22 months I find myself, mid-thirties, facing unemployment once again. But time-and-time again I am outcompeted by some recent masters graduate with 0 experience. Just last week, NYC parks and rec called me for an interview but could not book the apointment because they work looking for a Licenced LA, for an assistant Landscape Architect at a salary of 50k. Would any registered LA work as an assistant LA for 50k per year in NYC?????

 I know many people whom are at a level where we should be project managing and are applying to entry level positions. Most of my classmates moved on to other fields. Many whom graduated the year after me, never actually worked in the profession because they couldn’t find employment. I can’t help wonder the situation, compounded by all of the people around my age, whose careers were forever changed by the economic bubble burst. I come to the same conclusion. Since this phenomenon is not idiosyncratic to the architectural profession, this country is going to have almost an entire generation that is professionally stunted. The children of the baby boomers whom have more responsibility to take care of their families and their parents are the same generation that have not been provided the opportunity to develop in a consistent manor like the generation that came before. Will this be something that totally derails the development of this country. How can we stay competitive in this strange market where 30-40yr old interns are becoming a common?

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