Diploma mills benefit from suckers willing to shell out real money for online courses.

I also browsed over a school website that is offering a NAAB-accredited M.Arch online, imagine that. 

^no.

only way to weed out those really dedicated to this profession and those interested in making fancy renderings xD

We just need talented people with skills, practical and theoretical...there are enough douches already with Ivy league credentials (or pursuing them) who don't have a clue about architecture but feel entitled to all sorts of things just because the money that was thrown at their education/certificates/credentials. 

All those credentials and certificates don't mean shit when people do those things only because they feel forced by the current hiring practices of our profession or to just increase their salaries. People get bullshit certificates like LEED or something only because it looks impressive on their CV or to impress potential clients but they don't do it because of an inner urge or necessity towards sustainability, they're simple rubber stampers who will never get it.

Sure it might be handy to have official certificates for let's say Revit or something, but I personally prefer self-taught people because those who do those things for the certificates will never really think outside of the box, whereas a self-taught wizzkid architect doesn't care about certificates but will get the job done, and if not, that's what trial periods are for. 

^

".there are enough douches already with Ivy league credentials (or pursuing them..."

You mean like Koz? lololol

I'd agree that we need formal training on certain points in our career, otherwise we'd just "feel" our way around and go where the wind takes us. Having said that, we need to validate our own skills and not rely on formal training. But on why firms fancy certificates is beyond me, maybe it's a quick way to profile an applicant without taking time to know them on a personal level. As for self-learning, it's good but it could be too time consuming having to go thru a multitude of trial and error. We live In a world of validation and proof.

Any credential or certificate has to be evaluated for the value it brings and what it takes to get it. Some are no more than an opportunity to pay money for a piece of paper and some post-nominal letters. Others educate and train the applicant and the paper and post-nominal letters are an acknowledgment of that training and education.

Are they necessary? For the most part, no. Are they useful? Maybe, but that depends on circumstances too nuanced to cover under such a general discussion.

Is there a particular certificate or credential you are wondering about?

 "We live In a world of validation and proof."

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

In the end it's about having the skills, not the piece of paper that merely implies the having of those skills. 

The colleges stand ready to issue any kind of a degree you want and to make up degrees as they go along. Want a degree in "homeland security" or "sports management" or "public relations" (propaganda)?, No problem at all.

I do think we could benefit from a renewal of licence or certification or a more public or transparent way to certify and account for continuing education so the consumer of architectural services knows that the architect they are about to contract with is minimally competent and has don the minimum to remain so.

Over and OUT

Peter N

Peter,

I hope this doesn't need to be pointed out, but the public does have a way of verifying "the architect they are about to contract with is minimally competent and has done the minimum to remain so." In your great state of Illinois it's right here:

https://ilesonline.idfpr.illinois.gov/DPR/Lookup/LicenseLookup.aspx.

OP-

If anyone could be an architect, our profession would be reduced to actor or chef. Would you want any Joe Dick and Harry to have the ability to design spaces and structures of any height, occupancy, or type of construction? Quit asking for freebies. Put in the work and get the respect. You sound like all those people who think they deserve entitlements from the government. Quit being entitled and put in the damn effort!

"Our profession would be reduced to actor or chef"

lol.  Anyone cannot be an actor or chef.  the title chef means that someone is not only minimally competent, but talented.  

The few chefs I know worked very very hard to get there.  Makes an architecture job seem easy.  Miserable hours, high stress, etc... 

You could bullshit an entire career in architecture, but as a chef you'll get sniffed out within 30 seconds if you don't know your shit.