For the years I paid the membership fee, I had no idea what I got from it. Magazine with ads? Or the event discount that is not that interesting to attend? The membership is expensive enough yet I still have to pay for the stupid courses they offer. So I am no renewing. Maybe I'm wrong but there is no way for me to know. I think these organization are just bureaucracy to make the late-comers life harder.
Drawn in
Aug 21, 20 10:40 am
Never been a member, never will be.
Superfluous Squirrel
Aug 21, 20 10:54 am
You get the AIA lobbying the government on your behalf. Architects got an exempion from some complicated pass through tax ruling in the Big Tax Cut Bill passed in 2017. That was AIA lobbying, and was a big win for lots of small firms.
gwharton
Aug 21, 20 2:48 pm
AIA lobbying in my home state has gone directly contrary to the interests of members, such as when they pushed for the adoption of CE requirements for continued licensure rather than opposing it (as they should have). But then, CE fees are a big part of AIA's revenue stream now, so no surprise there.
bowling_ball
Aug 21, 20 6:35 pm
How is CE a negative for architects? There's a million free courses (etc) out there, unless I'm missing something (and I might be, I'm not in the US / an AIA member)
jessicaxmm
Aug 21, 20 7:01 pm
At least from my search, the course that looks interesting all charges.
midlander
Aug 21, 20 8:07 pm
BB - it's a negative because it obligates you to spend time doing something that's either going to cost something or be a total waste of time. The free ce courses fall into the latter category. I can't tell you how many educational hours i've spent learning about natural gas household water heaters, but i can tell you i have never worked on projects that could use them.
Everyday Architect
Aug 21, 20 8:46 pm
I hate on stupid CE courses as much as anyone, but you get out what you put into it. There are so many good options for continuing ed that only relying on conferences, or magazine articles, or free lunch and learns is kind of pathetic. Take a look at your jurisdiction's requirements for CE ... you might be surprised.
Here are some activities that my jurisdiction allows to count for credit: presenting at conferences and conventions, serving as an officer or appointed chair of a professional organization (like AIA), attending a licensing board meeting, writing and publishing a paper or book, pro-bono services, etc.
I've even seen jurisdictions that allow time spent at organized events with peer interaction outside of regular working hours ... so even having organized happy hours with your architect friends can count. You could do your own Beers + BS thing like Wood Guy and have it count if your jurisdiction allows it.
gwharton, you're in Seattle, right? I think WA state allows the peer interaction thing to count for some of your hours. I first heard about it from a friend licensed in WA state.
I paid for AIA membership the first year I was licensed because I thought having the initials after my name would be cool - it wasn't cool enough to keep paying for it, and I have never renewed since.
Donna Sink
Aug 21, 20 2:51 pm
There are many threads on here about AIA membership. TLDR recap: You get out of it what you put into it. I've been very active in my local AIA and reaped excellent benefits of networking and recognition for many years., I haven't been as active lately (largely because of covid) and I miss it.
jessicaxmm
Aug 21, 20 7:00 pm
It's good to know that people do get benefit from it. What makes me wonder is that I have seen people who have won many AIA awards but they don't have AIA titles. So that makes me think it is not necessary after all.
Aluminate
Aug 21, 20 7:54 pm
Some chapters let non-members enter their awards, for higher fees, and some chapters don't open their awards to non-members. Awards are only one small facet though. Your membership doesn't expire until January, and while it's not the best year for it, I would still encourage you to take some time the next few months to find out what your chapter and all its committees are really doing, before you make the decision about not renewing.
liberty bell
Aug 21, 20 7:54 pm
For me, it’s a way to stay connected to my local architecture community. It’s how I learn which firms specialize in certain kinds of work, or who is very busy, or who mistreats their employees, and all of the other interesting stuff about local firms. It has also led to referrals, both to me and from me, when a client who isn’t quite a good fit approaches.
midlander
Aug 21, 20 8:10 pm
my other replies are a bit cynical, but i second Donna on this. It's been very useful in my career as I've changed jobs and sought out career advice to have connections to leaders of firms in my city. It's occasionally a good way to meet non-architects with genuine interest in the architecture of our city too, which can be very refreshing.
midlander
Aug 21, 20 8:04 pm
it's a bit like membership in a social club - it's only worth it if you care to have access to the people and groups within. if you're looking for tangible results you'll do better to spend the money on birchbox or something.
DigitalKungFu
Jan 14, 23 7:48 pm
What is keeping me from interacting with other architects if I don't have it? All of the exhibition openings at the AIA space are free and open to the public, as well as events and lunch-and-learns. I was actually more active before I became a member. Now, $1,000.00 a year lets me have "AIA" instead of just "RA"
reallynotmyname
Jan 15, 23 1:10 pm
In my experience, an architect can get everything offered by an AIA membership elsewhere for a lot less money. The only exception is perhaps the opportunity to enter your work in AIA awards programs.
My local AIA chapter is pretty weak and poorly run, so its possible people in other places may get a better result for their money.
Orhan Ayyüce
Jan 15, 23 2:03 pm
I am grateful I don't need AIA to put me in contact with my fellow architects. AIA's presence is complicated and corporate. It has its tentacles in academia, early on student populations, architecture practice, and local and national politics which are sometimes easy to disagree with for me. In many cases, it is kept alive by self-celebratory establishment people. I was a member for a few years when my employer paid the fees and when that stopped, so did my membership.. AIA works for many as stated. I just don't work that way and ever could become a member of a "network" as understood. I am perfectly satisfied and happy with putting the title "Architect" after my name. It has a lot of recognition and credibility without AIA
For the years I paid the membership fee, I had no idea what I got from it. Magazine with ads? Or the event discount that is not that interesting to attend? The membership is expensive enough yet I still have to pay for the stupid courses they offer. So I am no renewing. Maybe I'm wrong but there is no way for me to know. I think these organization are just bureaucracy to make the late-comers life harder.
Never been a member, never will be.
You get the AIA lobbying the government on your behalf. Architects got an exempion from some complicated pass through tax ruling in the Big Tax Cut Bill passed in 2017. That was AIA lobbying, and was a big win for lots of small firms.
AIA lobbying in my home state has gone directly contrary to the interests of members, such as when they pushed for the adoption of CE requirements for continued licensure rather than opposing it (as they should have). But then, CE fees are a big part of AIA's revenue stream now, so no surprise there.
How is CE a negative for architects? There's a million free courses (etc) out there, unless I'm missing something (and I might be, I'm not in the US / an AIA member)
At least from my search, the course that looks interesting all charges.
BB - it's a negative because it obligates you to spend time doing something that's either going to cost something or be a total waste of time. The free ce courses fall into the latter category. I can't tell you how many educational hours i've spent learning about natural gas household water heaters, but i can tell you i have never worked on projects that could use them.
I hate on stupid CE courses as much as anyone, but you get out what you put into it. There are so many good options for continuing ed that only relying on conferences, or magazine articles, or free lunch and learns is kind of pathetic. Take a look at your jurisdiction's requirements for CE ... you might be surprised.
Here are some activities that my jurisdiction allows to count for credit: presenting at conferences and conventions, serving as an officer or appointed chair of a professional organization (like AIA), attending a licensing board meeting, writing and publishing a paper or book, pro-bono services, etc.
I've even seen jurisdictions that allow time spent at organized events with peer interaction outside of regular working hours ... so even having organized happy hours with your architect friends can count. You could do your own Beers + BS thing like Wood Guy and have it count if your jurisdiction allows it.
gwharton, you're in Seattle, right? I think WA state allows the peer interaction thing to count for some of your hours. I first heard about it from a friend licensed in WA state.
https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/architects/continuingeducation.html
I paid for AIA membership the first year I was licensed because I thought having the initials after my name would be cool - it wasn't cool enough to keep paying for it, and I have never renewed since.
There are many threads on here about AIA membership. TLDR recap: You get out of it what you put into it. I've been very active in my local AIA and reaped excellent benefits of networking and recognition for many years., I haven't been as active lately (largely because of covid) and I miss it.
It's good to know that people do get benefit from it. What makes me wonder is that I have seen people who have won many AIA awards but they don't have AIA titles. So that makes me think it is not necessary after all.
Some chapters let non-members enter their awards, for higher fees, and some chapters don't open their awards to non-members. Awards are only one small facet though. Your membership doesn't expire until January, and while it's not the best year for it, I would still encourage you to take some time the next few months to find out what your chapter and all its committees are really doing, before you make the decision about not renewing.
For me, it’s a way to stay connected to my local architecture community. It’s how I learn which firms specialize in certain kinds of work, or who is very busy, or who mistreats their employees, and all of the other interesting stuff about local firms. It has also led to referrals, both to me and from me, when a client who isn’t quite a good fit approaches.
my other replies are a bit cynical, but i second Donna on this. It's been very useful in my career as I've changed jobs and sought out career advice to have connections to leaders of firms in my city. It's occasionally a good way to meet non-architects with genuine interest in the architecture of our city too, which can be very refreshing.
it's a bit like membership in a social club - it's only worth it if you care to have access to the people and groups within. if you're looking for tangible results you'll do better to spend the money on birchbox or something.
What is keeping me from interacting with other architects if I don't have it? All of the exhibition openings at the AIA space are free and open to the public, as well as events and lunch-and-learns. I was actually more active before I became a member. Now, $1,000.00 a year lets me have "AIA" instead of just "RA"
In my experience, an architect can get everything offered by an AIA membership elsewhere for a lot less money. The only exception is perhaps the opportunity to enter your work in AIA awards programs.
My local AIA chapter is pretty weak and poorly run, so its possible people in other places may get a better result for their money.
I am grateful I don't need AIA to put me in contact with my fellow architects.
AIA's presence is complicated and corporate. It has its tentacles in academia, early on student populations, architecture practice, and local and national politics which are sometimes easy to disagree with for me. In many cases, it is kept alive by self-celebratory establishment people. I was a member for a few years when my employer paid the fees and when that stopped, so did my membership.. AIA works for many as stated. I just don't work that way and ever could become a member of a "network" as understood.
I am perfectly satisfied and happy with putting the title "Architect" after my name. It has a lot of recognition and credibility without AIA