Dear Interns Architects,
There seems to be a high rate of attrition of women in the architectural profession.
With a copy of the 2008 AIBC Member Directory, a pencil and a calculator, I recently tallied some numbers.
In 2008…
51% of the population of Metro Vancouver was women.
45% of the graduating class at UBC SALA were women.
42% of the award recipients at UBC SALA were women
38% of the intern membership at the AIBC were women.
11% of the registered architects (MAIBC) at the AIBC were women.
2% of BC architecture firms greater than four people were owned by women.
I'm not an Ipsos Reid pollster - but I think these numbers indicate a problem.
For some reason, significant numbers of women are choosing to leave the profession during their internship.
Hmmm...I wonder why?
Low pay?
Long hours?
Laddish culture?
Family unfriendly work environment?
Pram In The Hall is a feature posted on the AIBC website which begins to address this issue. It consists of a series of interviews with women and men who practice while raising children.
There are some "resources" listed as well.
Be sure to have a look at the 2003 RIBA study titled "Why Women Leave Architecture" - it's surprisingly good reading. (The issue of "sidelining" really hit home for me).
And finally, please post a comment on the "feedback" page if you feel inclined.
The powers at be are aware that this is an important issue,
and every comment posted just adds more traction.
Thank You,
Stephanie Robb MAIBC
(Mother, Principal, Registration & Licensing Board Member, and 2010 Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Medal in Architecture recipient)
Showing posts with label Internship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Internship. Show all posts
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Intern Survey Part 1: Summary and Response
The first in a series of Intern Surveys was concluded in 2009. The results of that survey reveal interesting information which will be considered by not only the Intern Architect Committee, but also the Registration and Licensing Board and, ultimately, Council itself.
If you would like to see the summary results of the survey, they are available at the Survey Monkey site.
First of all, we were gratified that 84 interns chose to respond to the survey (about 20% of the intern group). Thank you to all who responded. This survey covered background information such as route of entry to internship, employment situations and compensation. Future surveys will drill down into more specific areas and issues of concern for interns and the profession.
Some of the interesting “learnings” from this survey include:
If you would like to see the summary results of the survey, they are available at the Survey Monkey site.
First of all, we were gratified that 84 interns chose to respond to the survey (about 20% of the intern group). Thank you to all who responded. This survey covered background information such as route of entry to internship, employment situations and compensation. Future surveys will drill down into more specific areas and issues of concern for interns and the profession.
Some of the interesting “learnings” from this survey include:
- The most important factor for interns’ choice of firm appears to be the level of responsibility granted. This is overwhelmingly so, with over 90 percent of responses in the somewhat to very important range. Compensation, reputation of firm, firm practice emphasis, and commitment to interns fall in a roughly equal band at 72-78 percent somewhat to very important. Surprisingly, benefits and personal/family considerations, rank relatively low on the scale.
- A considerable number of respondents (35%) that they do not get sufficient exposure to the necessary range of work to complete their CERB hours. The detailed responses reveal that contract and construction administration are the areas of most concern. This is borne out by results of oral review exams where these areas are the most common ones in which candidates fall short.
- On the brighter side, perhaps, is that almost half of the respondents report salaries of $55,000 or more. This is tempered by the comments received on the survey that it was not sufficiently granular at the $60,000 or more level and by the fact that 30% of interns report that they are not being compensated for overtime as is required by employment legislation in BC.
- Most telling of all are the responses to questions 16 through 19 which reveal general dissatisfaction with the way in which interns are valued and compensated. A large majority (over 70 percent) of respondents feel that they have not been adequately compensated and almost 60 percent of respondents report that they do not feel that the time and energy spent towards getting registered has not been worthwhile. The detailed responses to this question reveal a range of issues ranging from educational experience, length and difficulty of the registration process, compensation and work-life issues, and direction of the profession itself as contributing factors. Future surveys will look at some of these issues in more detail.
- Closing out on this theme, question 20 asked for ideas and suggestions about intern surveys. There were a number of useful responses/themes which will help improve how we do surveys and provide topics for future surveys. Stay tuned.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Taking Pride
Has it been a little embarrassing to call yourself an intern architect when speaking to clients, consultants, or the general public? Do you always feel compelled to explain you’re actually more professional and capable than the word “intern” implies? Is the term “intern” always stigmatized with less?
Recently, I’ve come across a debate on the “appropriate” job title that describes what we do as interns. The term “intern” in dictionary.com says this:
in⋅tern –noun Also, interne.
3. a person who works as an apprentice or trainee in an occupation or profession to gain practical experience, and sometimes also to satisfy legal or other requirements for being licensed or accepted professionally.
This definition describes in the most general sense what we do. When one searches for the term “intern architect” on the internet, a Wikipedia article begins by stating:
Intern Architect is a term often used to describe a person who has successfully completed a professional and accredited degree in Architecture…
The OAA defines intern architects as follows:
An Intern Architect is a person of good character who has paid the prescribed fee, has graduated with a professional degree/diploma in architecture from a post-secondary institution.
The problem is that as intern architects, we are so much more than these narrow definitions imply. We are future architects who collectively are engaged in the full range of architectural practice. Some of us may be fortunate to be on the frontiers experimenting with available new technology, others of us on the frontiers of research on new systems. These opportunities allow many intern architects to develop into experts who are valued and in high demand in the market.
The term “intern architect” clearly does not give the full picture of what we do. However, we must recognize this stage of “cocoon”, as I call it, and take pride in our growth and development into fully formed butterflies, a.k.a. architects. Not all of us going into cocoon-mode come out as the butterfly we envisioned ourselves to be years ago. Too many of us decide either not to intern or not to complete our internships or leave the profession altogether. As a group, we interns must take active steps to remain vibrant and engaged with each other and the profession.
For all of our endeavours to get ourselves licensed, we really deserve to feel empowered, not deprived. To achieve this continuously strengthening and healthy future architect mindset, I say we start by cheering for each other every little step of the way, and continue by taking greater pride and ownership of our intern architect stage.
How do you feel about the internship process? Please send us your thoughts and ideas on how to make our internships a more celebratory experience!
Johnnie Kuo IA (Vancouver, BC)
Recently, I’ve come across a debate on the “appropriate” job title that describes what we do as interns. The term “intern” in dictionary.com says this:
in⋅tern –noun Also, interne.
3. a person who works as an apprentice or trainee in an occupation or profession to gain practical experience, and sometimes also to satisfy legal or other requirements for being licensed or accepted professionally.
This definition describes in the most general sense what we do. When one searches for the term “intern architect” on the internet, a Wikipedia article begins by stating:
Intern Architect is a term often used to describe a person who has successfully completed a professional and accredited degree in Architecture…
The OAA defines intern architects as follows:
An Intern Architect is a person of good character who has paid the prescribed fee, has graduated with a professional degree/diploma in architecture from a post-secondary institution.
The problem is that as intern architects, we are so much more than these narrow definitions imply. We are future architects who collectively are engaged in the full range of architectural practice. Some of us may be fortunate to be on the frontiers experimenting with available new technology, others of us on the frontiers of research on new systems. These opportunities allow many intern architects to develop into experts who are valued and in high demand in the market.
The term “intern architect” clearly does not give the full picture of what we do. However, we must recognize this stage of “cocoon”, as I call it, and take pride in our growth and development into fully formed butterflies, a.k.a. architects. Not all of us going into cocoon-mode come out as the butterfly we envisioned ourselves to be years ago. Too many of us decide either not to intern or not to complete our internships or leave the profession altogether. As a group, we interns must take active steps to remain vibrant and engaged with each other and the profession.
For all of our endeavours to get ourselves licensed, we really deserve to feel empowered, not deprived. To achieve this continuously strengthening and healthy future architect mindset, I say we start by cheering for each other every little step of the way, and continue by taking greater pride and ownership of our intern architect stage.
How do you feel about the internship process? Please send us your thoughts and ideas on how to make our internships a more celebratory experience!
Johnnie Kuo IA (Vancouver, BC)
Monday, November 9, 2009
ARE Study Groups: Preparing for the AREs Outside Vancouver
ARE study resources at the AIBC library are available to all interns. However, out-of-town ARE candidates may find it difficult to attend ARE preparation seminars held in Vancouver. In some cases, these ARE seminars provide some much-needed encouragement to take an exam. For those of us who cannot attend, motivation can be the biggest challenge to studying and completing the seven divisions of the ARE.
So why not study as a group? A study group is an excellent resource for those who function well under “peer-pressure,” encouraging them to study for these exams. You will also find yourself responsible to others and not only to yourself. A regular ARE study group may start with as few as four people and grow to as many as fifteen. Members may join for just one exam or continue for all of them.
The ARE Forum, a web-based bulletin board, is a good resource when searching for interns in your area who are preparing for the same ARE division. Upon registration, you may post your call under Areforum > Miscellaneous Forums - Not a place for debate just listings > Study Groups
One example of the many ARE Forum postings is a 15-member ARE study group in Albuquerque, NM. They started with PPP, then CDS, SPD and are now preparing SS. So far, they have passed 2 and failed 1. This is how they work together:
If you are working with a study group, how do you study? Please share your experiences with us. It will be helpful to other interns trying to start a study group.
Gastón Castaño IA (Victoria, BC)
So why not study as a group? A study group is an excellent resource for those who function well under “peer-pressure,” encouraging them to study for these exams. You will also find yourself responsible to others and not only to yourself. A regular ARE study group may start with as few as four people and grow to as many as fifteen. Members may join for just one exam or continue for all of them.
The ARE Forum, a web-based bulletin board, is a good resource when searching for interns in your area who are preparing for the same ARE division. Upon registration, you may post your call under Areforum > Miscellaneous Forums - Not a place for debate just listings > Study Groups
One example of the many ARE Forum postings is a 15-member ARE study group in Albuquerque, NM. They started with PPP, then CDS, SPD and are now preparing SS. So far, they have passed 2 and failed 1. This is how they work together:
As a group we decide on an exam to study for; then we determine how long we want to take to study 4-8 weeks depending on the exam; then we break the readings out according to the schedule; we are using the Kaplan material as our main study material with the PPI material as a second source ... Once we determine the reading, we take a week to read the material and do the quiz at the end of each lesson and then meet each week to discuss the answers to the questions, we talk about why we chose an answer and where we found it in the reading ... As we get closer to the end of the study time for that exam we begin to look at the graphic portion and work through the problems available as a group and discuss why we decided to do certain things and not to do certain things. We then take a week or two for each member of the group to take the exam before moving on to the next exam and then we start it again.
If you are working with a study group, how do you study? Please share your experiences with us. It will be helpful to other interns trying to start a study group.
Gastón Castaño IA (Victoria, BC)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
CHOP (Second Edition) Now Available Online
The Canadian Handbook of Practice (CHOP), Second Edition PDF download can now be purchased online at RAIC’s CHOP Order Centre.
The cost to architecture students, intern architects, and licensed architects is $75.
This new edition contains over 50 checklists, many of them new, updated references and current practice advice. A CD-ROM and printed version will become available for sale later this summer.
This handbook is of particular use to interns who are interested in how practices are structured and run, as well as interns who will be taking the oral exams.
The cost to architecture students, intern architects, and licensed architects is $75.
This new edition contains over 50 checklists, many of them new, updated references and current practice advice. A CD-ROM and printed version will become available for sale later this summer.
This handbook is of particular use to interns who are interested in how practices are structured and run, as well as interns who will be taking the oral exams.
Interns at the BC Home + Garden Show
by Abdel Munem Amin
Ask any intern and they will tell you that the registration process can be difficult and overwhelming, especially when the rewards seem so distant and intangible. Interns are attracted to the profession for various reasons, but it is easy to lose sight of those reasons when you are confined in front of a computer trying to make sense of all the RFIs that just came through.
One of the reasons that attracted this intern to architecture was the romance of designing customized spaces and the satisfaction of successfully completing a project. However, I spend most of my time adjusting plans to conform to code rather than the needs of an end user. Not to mention the fact that the end user for commercial applications is the hypothetical public rather than an individual with explicit characteristics.
One venue that affords interns the opportunity to talk to prospective end users is at the BC Home + Garden Show. The Ask an Architect booth at the show is one of several AIBC community outreach programs. This year the Home + Garden show took place at BC place from February 18–22. Several interns volunteered their time at this event and felt that their participation was worthwhile.
Ariane Truong, a volunteer intern, noted that the booth helped raise awareness about the role of architects. Truong felt “it was great to have exposure for the profession and show that we are a necessary service, even for residential projects. I got the impression a lot of people think architects mainly do big, commercial or institutional projects and aren't aware of the benefits an architect can bring, even to small residential projects.” As a direct result of the booth at the Home + Garden Show, there was a noticeable increase in attendance at the AIBC’s Saturday morning Ask an Architect drop-in sessions, as more people became aware of the benefits of hiring an architect for their projects.
The Home + Garden show is a great way to meet the people that could eventually inhabit our designs and have informal chats about their dream projects. This sort of experience complements the skills learned within an office environment on the road to licensing. Furthermore, the hours spent volunteering can be logged as community work in your CERB, which can otherwise be difficult to obtain.
The AIBC encourages interns to take part in the event and pairs an intern with a registered architect during their shift so the intern always has someone experienced to help with the tougher questions. Varouj Gumuchian, another volunteer intern, recommends this experience to other interns and advises that as long as interns are thoughtful and take an active role at the booth, they can get a lot out of the event.
The next BC Home + Garden Show is scheduled for April 15–18, 2010 and interns who are interested in taking part should contact the AIBC communications department at communications@aibc.ca.
Ask any intern and they will tell you that the registration process can be difficult and overwhelming, especially when the rewards seem so distant and intangible. Interns are attracted to the profession for various reasons, but it is easy to lose sight of those reasons when you are confined in front of a computer trying to make sense of all the RFIs that just came through.
One of the reasons that attracted this intern to architecture was the romance of designing customized spaces and the satisfaction of successfully completing a project. However, I spend most of my time adjusting plans to conform to code rather than the needs of an end user. Not to mention the fact that the end user for commercial applications is the hypothetical public rather than an individual with explicit characteristics.
One venue that affords interns the opportunity to talk to prospective end users is at the BC Home + Garden Show. The Ask an Architect booth at the show is one of several AIBC community outreach programs. This year the Home + Garden show took place at BC place from February 18–22. Several interns volunteered their time at this event and felt that their participation was worthwhile.
Ariane Truong, a volunteer intern, noted that the booth helped raise awareness about the role of architects. Truong felt “it was great to have exposure for the profession and show that we are a necessary service, even for residential projects. I got the impression a lot of people think architects mainly do big, commercial or institutional projects and aren't aware of the benefits an architect can bring, even to small residential projects.” As a direct result of the booth at the Home + Garden Show, there was a noticeable increase in attendance at the AIBC’s Saturday morning Ask an Architect drop-in sessions, as more people became aware of the benefits of hiring an architect for their projects.
The Home + Garden show is a great way to meet the people that could eventually inhabit our designs and have informal chats about their dream projects. This sort of experience complements the skills learned within an office environment on the road to licensing. Furthermore, the hours spent volunteering can be logged as community work in your CERB, which can otherwise be difficult to obtain.
The AIBC encourages interns to take part in the event and pairs an intern with a registered architect during their shift so the intern always has someone experienced to help with the tougher questions. Varouj Gumuchian, another volunteer intern, recommends this experience to other interns and advises that as long as interns are thoughtful and take an active role at the booth, they can get a lot out of the event.
The next BC Home + Garden Show is scheduled for April 15–18, 2010 and interns who are interested in taking part should contact the AIBC communications department at communications@aibc.ca.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
AIBC Intern Architect Survey Results (Part 1)
Thank you to those who participated in the survey. The survey results will be used by the AIBC’s Registration and Licensing Board as well as the National Intern Architect Program Task Force to drive changes to the Intern Architect Program (IAP). To view the results of the first survey, click here. Please stay tuned, as we will have a second survey posted soon. The following is a summary of the results written by Johnnie Kuo IA.AIBC, a member of the Intern Architect Committee:
The survey has drawn its result from 59 responses. Most respondents (over 84%) have never been registered as intern architects outside of Canada or BC. There is a small percentage (15%) of respondents who are registered architects outside of Canada. Nearly 73% of respondent interns are employed full time, while 12% are unemployed.
Highlights from the survey results:
The survey has drawn its result from 59 responses. Most respondents (over 84%) have never been registered as intern architects outside of Canada or BC. There is a small percentage (15%) of respondents who are registered architects outside of Canada. Nearly 73% of respondent interns are employed full time, while 12% are unemployed.
Highlights from the survey results:
- When choosing firms, level of responsibility granted is rated “Very Important’ for 63% of respondents, size of firm and benefits are rated “Somewhat Important” by 42% of respondents; identity of firm principals seems to be least important.
- Over 60% of interns feel they are sufficiently exposed to a range of work that allow them to fulfill CERB requirement; among the remaining 37%, most often identified issues are lack of contract administration, construction and site related experience.
- Two-thirds of respondents are paid annual salary, compensated for overtime pay that is either straight time banked as holiday time or time-and-a-half paid out/towards holidays. The same percentage reported that they do not supplement income with outside work.
- 25% of respondents are paid 60K or more; about 56% are paid between 45K and 60K annually. The same percentage of respondents feel their compensation package is fair. Two-thirds of respondents reported that their compensation package insufficient to meet their living needs.
- Most commonly provided benefits are full payment of AIBC annual dues, cost shared dental, and AIBC PD courses.
- Most concerning is the fact that nearly 60% of respondents do not find the time and effort spend towards getting registered as an architect worth it from a professional or personal perspective. They also do not feel that they have been adequately compensated financially for the time and effort already spent towards getting registered.
- Employment standards and compensation
- Ethics
- AIBC improved monitoring or regulation of the current system to ensure interns are getting appropriate experience
- NCARB
- Support and respect for interns in their professional development, work environment, and finances
- Intern resources and peer support (juggling demands from work, exams, and courses while maintaining a healthy life style)
- Internship process here in BC vs. elsewhere
- CERB and exams, NCARB exams vs. EXAC
- Young firms and design culture
- Registration requirements
- Perspectives from self-employed or contract-base interns
- Unemployment
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
BC Building Code Courses
BCIT offers a number of architecturally related course which may be of interest and benefit to interns. Contact Roisin O'Neill, Registration Coordinator at the AIBC, to find out if the BCIT course(s) you are interested can substitute for any of the required AIBC courses at roneill@aibc.bc.ca Note that BLDG 1830 can substitute for both the AIBC's BC Building Code I and Building Code II courses.
Here is a sampling of some of the courses offered at BCIT:
BC Building Code: Multi-unit and Small Buildings
Monday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks), $450.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1825
BLDG 1835 –Part 3 Advanced (prerequisite: BLDG 1830)
Thursday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 22 to February 26 (6weeks), $250.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1835
BLDG 1830 – BC Building Code: Part 3
Monday nights 6:45-9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks)
@ the Burnaby Campus
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1830
BLDG 1830 introduces participants to building code requirements related to Part 3 of the 2006 B.C. Building Code. It provides students with basic skills and a general working knowledge of the Code to analyze Part 3 buildings. Students must bring B.C. Building Code to the first class.
One can expect about 2 hours of studying outside of the seminars to complete the weekly take home assignment.
The course fee for BLDG 1830 is $450. Since the course is directly related to your internship (it can replace the two full day courses BC Building Code I & II at the AIBC) and to your training as valued member of your office team, be sure to ask your firm if they will cover this professional expense.
If your firm will not pay for your professional training you will still find BLDG 1830 is similar in cost to the two full day courses otherwise required by the AIBC.
You can find a more complete listing of upcoming architecturally related course at www.bcit.ca/
Here is a sampling of some of the courses offered at BCIT:
BC Building Code: Multi-unit and Small Buildings
Monday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks), $450.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1825
BLDG 1835 –Part 3 Advanced (prerequisite: BLDG 1830)
Thursday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 22 to February 26 (6weeks), $250.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1835
BLDG 1830 – BC Building Code: Part 3
Monday nights 6:45-9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks)
@ the Burnaby Campus
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1830
BLDG 1830 introduces participants to building code requirements related to Part 3 of the 2006 B.C. Building Code. It provides students with basic skills and a general working knowledge of the Code to analyze Part 3 buildings. Students must bring B.C. Building Code to the first class.
One can expect about 2 hours of studying outside of the seminars to complete the weekly take home assignment.
The course fee for BLDG 1830 is $450. Since the course is directly related to your internship (it can replace the two full day courses BC Building Code I & II at the AIBC) and to your training as valued member of your office team, be sure to ask your firm if they will cover this professional expense.
If your firm will not pay for your professional training you will still find BLDG 1830 is similar in cost to the two full day courses otherwise required by the AIBC.
You can find a more complete listing of upcoming architecturally related course at www.bcit.ca/
Monday, December 22, 2008
Intern Professional Development Courses
The AIBC Professional Development Department has posted the 2009 Course Schedule. To register for your 4 mandatory courses and 2 elective courses go to http://aibc.ca/member_resources/professional_dev/pdf/2009%20PD%20Course%20Schedule.pdf. Note that you can substitute BC Building Code I & II for more in depth equivalent at BCIT noted below.
Jan 15 Management of the Project
Jan 29 Ethics, Act & Bylaws
Mar 06 Law & the Architect
Mar 13 BC Building Code I
Apr 17 Building Envelope Principles
May 21 BC Building Code II
May 29 Construction Administration
Jun 19 Ethics, the Architect’s Act & Bylaws
Sep 11 Building Envelope Principles
Sep 24 Ethics, Act & Bylaws
Oct 16 Management of the Project
Oct 22 BC Building Code I
Oct 30 BC Building Code II
Monday nights 6:45-9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks)
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1830
BLDG 1825 –BC Building Code: Multi-unit and Small Buildings
Monday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks), $450.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1825
BLDG 1835 – Part 3 Advanced (prerequisite: BLDG 1830)
Thursday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 22 to February 26 (6weeks), $250.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1835
BLDG 1830, Introduction to BC Building Code Part 3, at BCIT can replace the two mandatory AIBC courses covering the same topic. The topic of BLDG 1830 is Part 3 of the BC Building Code and deals with Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility for large buildings.
Participants are expected to bring their own copy of the BC Building Code. Classes run once a week in the evenings for 12 weeks at the Burnaby campus of BCIT. One can expect about 2 hours of studying outside of the course as a minimum to take it all in. This fall BLDG 1830 will run on Monday nights from 6:45 to 9:45 from January 12 through March 30 (12 weeks). The course fee is $450.
Since the course is directly related to your internship (it can replace the two full day courses BC Building Code I & II at the AIBC) and to your training as valued member of your office team, ask your firm if they will cover the course fee.
If your firm will not pay for your professional training you will still find that BLDG 1830 is similar in cost to the two full day courses otherwise required by the AIBC. Go to http://www.bcit.ca/ for a complete list of architecturally related course for next term.
Jan 15 Management of the Project
Jan 29 Ethics, Act & Bylaws
Mar 06 Law & the Architect
Mar 13 BC Building Code I
Apr 17 Building Envelope Principles
May 21 BC Building Code II
May 29 Construction Administration
Jun 19 Ethics, the Architect’s Act & Bylaws
Sep 11 Building Envelope Principles
Sep 24 Ethics, Act & Bylaws
Oct 16 Management of the Project
Oct 22 BC Building Code I
Oct 30 BC Building Code II
Nov 13 Law & the Architect
Nov 19 Blueprint for Business
Nov 20 Construction Administration
Nov 26 Building Envelope Principles
Dec 4 Ethics, Act & Bylaws
BLDG 1830 – BC Building Code: Part 3 (accepted in lieu of AIBC Building Code I and II)
Introduction to building code requirements related to Part 3 of the 2006 B.C. Building Code. Provides students with basic skills and a general working knowledge of the code to analyze Part 3 buildings. Students must bring B.C. Building Code to the first class. This comprehensive course can be taken in lieu of the two required full day courses at the AIBC: BC Building Code I and BC Building Code II.
Nov 20 Construction Administration
Nov 26 Building Envelope Principles
Dec 4 Ethics, Act & Bylaws
BLDG 1830 – BC Building Code: Part 3 (accepted in lieu of AIBC Building Code I and II)
Introduction to building code requirements related to Part 3 of the 2006 B.C. Building Code. Provides students with basic skills and a general working knowledge of the code to analyze Part 3 buildings. Students must bring B.C. Building Code to the first class. This comprehensive course can be taken in lieu of the two required full day courses at the AIBC: BC Building Code I and BC Building Code II.
Monday nights 6:45-9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks)
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1830
BLDG 1825 –BC Building Code: Multi-unit and Small Buildings
Monday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 12 to March 30 (12 weeks), $450.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1825
BLDG 1835 – Part 3 Advanced (prerequisite: BLDG 1830)
Thursday nights 6:45 to 9:45, January 22 to February 26 (6weeks), $250.
http://www.bcit.ca/study/courses/bldg1835
BLDG 1830, Introduction to BC Building Code Part 3, at BCIT can replace the two mandatory AIBC courses covering the same topic. The topic of BLDG 1830 is Part 3 of the BC Building Code and deals with Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility for large buildings.
Participants are expected to bring their own copy of the BC Building Code. Classes run once a week in the evenings for 12 weeks at the Burnaby campus of BCIT. One can expect about 2 hours of studying outside of the course as a minimum to take it all in. This fall BLDG 1830 will run on Monday nights from 6:45 to 9:45 from January 12 through March 30 (12 weeks). The course fee is $450.
Since the course is directly related to your internship (it can replace the two full day courses BC Building Code I & II at the AIBC) and to your training as valued member of your office team, ask your firm if they will cover the course fee.
If your firm will not pay for your professional training you will still find that BLDG 1830 is similar in cost to the two full day courses otherwise required by the AIBC. Go to http://www.bcit.ca/ for a complete list of architecturally related course for next term.
NCARB announces new IDP Supervisor Guidelines
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has developed their version of IDP Supervisor Guidelines to assist supervisors in the role they play in interns' carreers. The guidelines are available for download from the NCARB website at:
http://www.ncarb.org/forms/superguide.pdf
The AIBC will review these guidelines to see what, if any, learnings can be taken from the doucment for discussion with the national regulators, which meet through the Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA) discussion forum. The Canadian document is posed on the AIBC website at: http://www.aibc.ca/member_resources/intern_resources/pdf/2008_mentorguidelines.pdf
http://www.ncarb.org/forms/superguide.pdf
The AIBC will review these guidelines to see what, if any, learnings can be taken from the doucment for discussion with the national regulators, which meet through the Canadian Architectural Licensing Authorities (CALA) discussion forum. The Canadian document is posed on the AIBC website at: http://www.aibc.ca/member_resources/intern_resources/pdf/2008_mentorguidelines.pdf
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Mentors & Logbooks
As interns we should be meeting with our mentors frequently. What keeps some interns from meeting their mentors as frequently as they should is often a simple case of not getting the experience log book hours ready for review and signature. Since the mentor’s signature is required on logged experience, the frequency of meeting a mentor to discuss work, experience, the profession etc. has become contingent on getting a signature in the logbook - no logbook, no meeting. Logging hours is a task that often gets put on the backburner for months, sometimes years! This is a bad habit to get into particularly if it is causing you to decrease the frequency of meetings with your mentor.
One solution is to create motivation to complete the logbook. There are many ways to do this of course but one we’d like to suggest is to make a meeting schedule with your mentor in advance of completing your logbook. At your next meeting, for example, set a date for your following meeting 4 or 6 months. That will give you a deadline to complete your logbook, make sure you get your experience in on time, and make the most out of you mentor relationship.
Aside from all this – and a much preferred additional option – is to make a regularly scheduled appointment to meet with your mentor to talk shop. You don’t have to, and should not limit the relationship to one of log book signing but rather should seek to gain as much knowledge out of your mentor as you can.
Another solution is to make the process of logging hours easier. Many of us have created spreadsheets to help automate the task. These spreadsheets often start out saving time but end up becoming cumbersome and complex especially as the number of projects increases. At the intern committee we are working on creating a spreadsheet to help handle this task. If you have a spreadsheet that you think works well and would like to share it with us, we’d love to see it. Our email address is interncommittee@yahoo.com. Thank you!
One solution is to create motivation to complete the logbook. There are many ways to do this of course but one we’d like to suggest is to make a meeting schedule with your mentor in advance of completing your logbook. At your next meeting, for example, set a date for your following meeting 4 or 6 months. That will give you a deadline to complete your logbook, make sure you get your experience in on time, and make the most out of you mentor relationship.
Aside from all this – and a much preferred additional option – is to make a regularly scheduled appointment to meet with your mentor to talk shop. You don’t have to, and should not limit the relationship to one of log book signing but rather should seek to gain as much knowledge out of your mentor as you can.
Another solution is to make the process of logging hours easier. Many of us have created spreadsheets to help automate the task. These spreadsheets often start out saving time but end up becoming cumbersome and complex especially as the number of projects increases. At the intern committee we are working on creating a spreadsheet to help handle this task. If you have a spreadsheet that you think works well and would like to share it with us, we’d love to see it. Our email address is interncommittee@yahoo.com. Thank you!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Intern Architect Focus Group - Expressions of Interest
The AIBC remains committed to making the internship experience as meaningful and fulfilling as possible. Part of this commitment is to remove unwarranted barriers to registration as a fully fledged architect. We remain concerned at the growing pool of interns and the relatively low conversion rate from intern to architect. While this phenomenon is not unique to the AIBC — it appears to be occurring across North America — we remain undeterred in our search for solutions.
The AIBC has surveyed the IA and MAIBC community on a range of possible contributing factors and has undertaken steps to address some of those factors. However, more work clearly needs to be done. We would like to host a series of dedicated focus group sessions to consider the full range of issues impacting internship (from education through to state of practice) as well as possible solutions for consideration by the AIBC Council and its national counterparts. If you are interested in representing the IA community as part of a focus group, please contact Jerome Marburg, Director of Registration & Licensing and General Counsel, with an expression of interest and your current CV. We hope to select a number of IAs representing the full spectrum of practice areas and conditions. Results from the focus groups will be posted on this blog for consideration and comment by all.
The AIBC has surveyed the IA and MAIBC community on a range of possible contributing factors and has undertaken steps to address some of those factors. However, more work clearly needs to be done. We would like to host a series of dedicated focus group sessions to consider the full range of issues impacting internship (from education through to state of practice) as well as possible solutions for consideration by the AIBC Council and its national counterparts. If you are interested in representing the IA community as part of a focus group, please contact Jerome Marburg, Director of Registration & Licensing and General Counsel, with an expression of interest and your current CV. We hope to select a number of IAs representing the full spectrum of practice areas and conditions. Results from the focus groups will be posted on this blog for consideration and comment by all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)