A new RMIT University course is designed to boost the skills of architects, planners, engineers and other built environment professionals in the humanitarian sector.

Registrations for Sydney close today (31 May), with registrations for the Melbourne course opening late August.

The Pathways to Working in the Humanitarian Sector course will look into “real world” projects so as to better understand the demands of humanitarian work and the approaches to be taken for effectively working in relevant environments.

The two-day intensive course has been developed in partnership with the Australian Red Cross, Red R, Engineers without Borders, ARUP, Habitat for Humanity and Architects without Frontiers.

Founding director of Architects without Frontiers (Australia) and director of RMIT’s Architects Without Frontiers Design Research Bureau Dr Esther Charlesworth says environmental professionals have vast skills that are important to rebuilding communities.

“The technical and creative capacity of architects to contribute to rebuilding communities of spatial and social resilience, from Bosnia to Vietnam, from Beirut to Kinglake, is vast; and yet still strangely untapped.

“This RMIT-Red Cross-AWF training course is the first program in the Asia-Pacific region specifically designed to inform built environment professionals about practical pathways into the humanitarian sector.”

It is aimed at architects, planners, landscape architects, engineers and construction managers.

Participants have the opportunity to interact with experienced local and international professionals in the field including, Graham Saunders (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies), Paul Pholeros (Health Habitat) and Brett Moore (World Vision).

What: Pathways to Working in the Humanitarian Sector

When: 22-23 June (Sydney), 12-13 October (Melbourne)

Cost: $900 plus GST (early bird), $1000 plus GST (standard)

Register via the website: www.architectswithoutfrontiers.com.au