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In Western Australia, the first formal building design training courses were
introduced by the department of Technical And Further Education (TAFE) in the late
1960s. Over the ensuing years those courses have undergone many changes to meet
the needs of industry, and to embrace new technology such as Computer Aided
Design (CAD) technology which has changed the working practices of many
building designers. Embracing CAD methods has for many designers meant a move
away from hand-skill based design and drawing documentation methods. Changes
in work practices made possible by CAD technology have also changed traditional
boundaries defined by professional work roles.
Over the relatively short period of about 15 years the usually conservative design
and construction industry in Western Australia has undergone major changes in the
work roles of building designers, and their use of computer technologies (Baird,
1996). This has necessitated changes in TAFE training courses to reflect the needs of
industry and the culture of practice found in many building design offices.
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About the
Author
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Craig Baird started his working life as a Building Designer back when such people were called
Architectural Draftsman. After some years in private architectural firms, and two years with the
Commonwealth Government, he commenced duties as a Lecturer in Building Design at Leederville
College of TAFE (Perth, WA), where he also managed the Computer Aided Design (CAD) Training
Centre from which he ran AutoCAD¨ courses. He has worked with several major Western
Australian companies as a CAD trainer and mentor. For a short time he also worked in Melbourne
for the international company Autodesk¨, as their principal Australian trainer.
Craig has performed duties as a judge and mentor for the Building Designers' Association, and as a
State and National judge for Workskills Australia in CAD competitions.
He has developed and implemented two investigative studies concerning CAD use in Building
Design in Western Australia. Currently, he is undertaking a PhD study to investigate a training
approach for Building Designers based on a mentor supported, Cognitive Apprenticeship-style
learning situation, using real work projects in a building design office.
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Contact Details
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Craig Baird, 22A Bombard Street, ARDROSS WA 6153
Te. 08 9364 8387 Fax 08 9364 8397
e-mail: cbaird@cowan.edu.au
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