Workplace Abuse and Firings
Chris Johnson
Laurentian University
I was fired.
Probably not the best way to start a job, but a reality today for some. At the start, I was green, new to the industry, and trying to find my first job in the world of Architecture. The past few years have been difficult to find a job in the field. As architecture students, we are told that the best experience is in the field. When I got my first job, I thought learning new skills would be fun, but I found the more I worked, the more my employer thought my work was never enough. Pathetic, worthless, awful are all words I heard from my employer a few days before being fired. What were you taught? Are you even taught anything at school?
School and work are two different beasts. The real world shows a different side of the industry, more than just your education. I learned the hard way with an email saying to hand in my timesheet and invoice.
If you ever find yourself in this situation, DO NOT PANIC! It may feel like the end of the world because you wanted the best. Sometimes, ending it with the employer can be best. I remember thinking I will never find another job after something like this. I was upset and in a dark place in my life because I felt I was not good enough to be an architect, but that isn’t the case. There is always another firm that will take you on. From my own experience, I recommend looking into a few things as you find another internship or another job in general.
Don’t get desperate about finding a firm. Look into firms that entrust their students with work and valuable learning experiences. Do they match your beliefs? Do they have a history of student internship opportunities? If someone can’t see that you are just starting and expect you to do their job, don’t bother working for someone like that; they want another body for use. The employer should know that you do not know much about the profession, even if you went to school for it. The design takes up a small portion of the industry, but the execution and business of Architecture take up the rest. That can be a shock to hear for many because we think that we know everything, but we are only scratching the surface.
Look for additional ways to improve your skills, even from a terrible experience. You may think that you may have done something wrong, and maybe you did. Take the experience and use it as a learning opportunity. Don’t just think about becoming the next Starchitect, be the next professional in the field who gets the job done. Learn new digital software, drafting techniques, and develop an understanding of the profession of architecture. Think of this as a stepping stone in your career. Your career is just beginning, and it takes many years before you learn the ropes of the profession.
The experience will allow you to understand the architectural and design process better and inevitably help you focus on your future professional interests, preparing you to become an emerging practitioner in the industry.
If you cannot find a job immediately afterward, file for Employment Insurance and get a Record of Employment (ROE) from your employer. Yes, you read that correctly. You need to get insurance for however long it takes to get another job, whether a work placement or something else. You are entitled to get an ROE from your employer. Suppose your employer says you are not an “employee” because you are on a contract. In that case, you are still obligated to have an ROE upon termination as per Service Canada’s guidelines (Chapter 1: Understanding the Record of Employment form - Canada.ca). Issuing an ROE after termination of employment is the law. No employer should ever get away with making you worth nothing, especially as a student. You deserve a firm that will treat you as you are, a learner in the next generation of soon-to-be architects.
Unfortunately, many students feel the effects of employers who don’t treat students with dignity, and respect, while others remain unscathed. Those are the lucky ones, for until they experience this first hand. You may never experience what others struggle with. As long as we stand together against workplace abuse, firing, or discriminatory behavior, the next generation of architects can and will come out on top of the experiences of those who suffer the most. If you do know of someone who has experienced this, reach out to them, ask if they are okay, and help them in their search along the way. That’s how I found my new placement with the help of my peers in the industry.
If you have any questions regarding a Record of Employment (ROE) or any other questions about Employment Insurance, visit Service Canada, Ontario Government, or any other provincial government for more information and know your unemployment rights. If you ever need to talk with a representative regarding your employment insurance (EI), you can always call 1-800-367-5693 to speak to a representative at the Employer Contact Centre.
If you ever need to talk to someone, you can always contact me at cjohnson3@laurentian.ca.
Best,
Chris Johnson
Laurentian University Representative
Links for reference:
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/portfolio/service-canada.html
https://www.ontario.ca/page/serviceontario
https://www.ontario.ca/page/government
Any Service Government website, similar across all provinces.
Images
https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/businessman-getting-fired_1440311.htm