An Intro to Life Beyond School
Advice from Barry D. Yatt, FAIA, CSI
IDP Educator Coordinator for The Catholic University of America
OK, so you're about to go to work for an architecture or construction related firm. What do you need to know?
Many graduates of architecture programs decide not to become licensed architects. And that's fine. But for those who do want to get licensed some day, they must fulfill the requirements imposed by the state (Maryland, Virginia, etc.), or protectorate or territory (District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, etc.) in which they wish to practice. Each one has its own Architectural Registration Board and its own slightly different rules. But at this point, all have three categories of requirements (the "three E's"):
The first one, Education, you're doing in your degree program.
The last one, Exam, you'll do after (in all but 14 states, which don't include MD, DC, or VA, as of 4/08) you've completed your Experience. It's the same exam no matter where you want to be licensed, and is conducted by the same organization (ETS) that does the SAT and GRE exams, under license to NCARB. It is done entirely on a computer, mixes multiple choice and graphic questions, is taken in multiple parts that take a total of about 38 hours, and is graded electronically. Parts can be taken at any time (after completing Experience, as just noted) at hundreds of testing centers in the US or abroad. If after five years, not all parts have been passed, the intern must retake all of the parts. If an individual part is failed, the intern must wait six months before re-taking it.
The ARE is taken on a computer. For the last few years, the exam (Release 3.1) had nine parts, but starting in 2009 (Release 4.0) it will have seven parts. Both cover the same content--it's just packaged differently. If an intern has passed at least one section of Release 3.1 by 5/15/08, they can continue with that format, but must complete the entire exam by the July 2009. Otherwise, they will take Release 4.0. There are free study guides for both ARE 3.1 and 4.0 on the NCARB website.
The middle one, Experience, needs further explanation, so here goes:
Yes, you're anxious to get a job working for an architect. That makes sense if you've already completed your junior year of undergrad studies or your first year of grad studies, since it will count toward the internship required for architectural licensure. If you're looking for work the summer after freshman or sophomore years, however, you're better off (in this architect's opinion) going to work for a construction company. It'll open your eyes, give you some valuable perspective and core knowledge, and then, when you get to your internship, you'll already have that experience behind you.
Also, by federal law, interns must be paid, whether at architecture firms, construction firms, or any other kind of firm (except for congressional interns). Don't agree to be paid "under the table". That's just the boss' way of avoiding having to pay his portion of the taxes you'll owe.
Almost all U.S. states, protectorates, and territories will accept only work experience that is gained through enrollment in the IDP program (Intern Development Program). To enroll, you simply apply for an IDP file with NCARB. It is easiest if you do this as you start working rather than waiting until you have already worked for a while. If you want to get licensed in a state that doesn't require use of the IDP format, you can do so, but be warned: if you want to transfer your license later to another state that does require IDP, it will probably not be allowed.
Note: As of 2001, only two states and a few territories were neither requiring IDP nor considering requiring it (although they will all certainly accept it). See the map on the NCARB website, hyperlinked below. Like the ARE, IDP is administered by NCARB.
IDP is actually a format, a set of rules, that were instituted to increase the chances that employers would give their interns some good, balanced experience. To complete IDP, you'll need to get a minimum of 700 TUs (Training Units, where one TU = eight hours worth of work experience or four hours of continuing education) in about 15 different work categories including construction documents, firm management, consultant coordination, and others. NCARB tracks your progress using a form similar to a transcript. You send in a report two to three times each year informing them of the experience you've gained, signed by your employer.
When a company simply doesn't do all of the listed things for their clients (maybe they don't do their own cost estimating, for example), the intern may need to leave to work for a firm that does do those things. Once they complete IDP, the intern may or may not choose to return to the original employer. Generally, work done under the direct supervision of a licensed architect is acceptable in fulfillment of any category. In some settings, such as when working for a contractor, experience will be accepted for some categories only.
IDP also requires each intern to choose a mentor who does not work for the same company he or she does, someone to advise them when they have questions and to advocate on their behalf with their employer, should that be necessary. Interns may meet with their mentors a few times a year as they feel is helpful. Each intern must also identify a supervisor at the same firm to confirm the experiences claimed. The supervisor MUST be an architect, and must be licensed in the state in which the office is located.
Interns may start counting work experiences as soon as they complete their third year in an undergraduate program or their first year in a graduate program. There are certain minimum limits on the kind of employment that will be counted, including:
Finally, don't delay in starting your IDP Council Record with NCARB, and then submit documentation of your internship experiences frequently. Starting in 2009, and once electronic reporting software is in place, no more than six months worth of experience will be allowed to be reported at once, and it will have to be submitted within two months of the end of that six month period. Any work experience not reported within eight months of being performed will not be counted toward your internship record. Expectations will be allowed for childbirth and military service. That's because it is much harder to remember what you did at your job last summer (or longer ago) than it will be to record your activities as you do them. Besides, if you file before you graduate, most of the fees are postponed until you get your license.
Much more information including application forms and free software that you can use to track your progress, is available at the NCARB website at http://www.ncarb.org/idp/ . It is all up to date, and much more specific that what I have included here.
Good luck!
Barry Yatt, FAIA, CSI
IDP Educator Coordinator for The Catholic University of America