In a bold semantic move years in the make, the AIA has renamed a NAAB-accredited, employed graduate on the path to licensure as either a "design professional" or "architectural associate." While you can still call a student pursuing their degree while working in an office an intern (which is apparently vastly preferred to thundering "hey, you!" while pointing at them), the new titles for their graduated peers are partly meant to reflect their commitment to the field. The AIA has a detailed linguistic play-by-play of how the titling process went down, including this nuanced observation from Danielle Mitchell:
"'Architectural' as the adjective and 'associate' as the noun means this individual is associating with the profession, with licensed architects, and working with them," she adds. "The phrase itself indicates that you're working toward licensure, toward the success of the profession, but you're not licensed."
just get licensed.
"Just get licensed" belittles the amount of time, effort, and money it takes to get a license the same way calling a professional an "Intern" belittles their ability.
There's no reason to be against this other than "I got mine, so screw you."
What I'd like to see before I die:
Graduate with an accredited degree: you're an architect
Pass the licensing exams and get registered: you're a Registered Architect
Again, this is not really a victory, AIA has nothing to do with state licensing boards, and this language would seem to satisfy nearly every state board's concern regarding the title.
This is more about satisfying a small group of people that being AIA Executive Board, and their weariness around this topic.
There's much bigger things to get at with the AIA, this issue, ain't one of them.
I'd say the profession destroying itself has little to do with this small issue, and more to do with three things;
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It's about time! Great Job AIA for regonizing, and addressing this very important (and quite sensitive in some cases) area of the profession.
Seems so Meh.
I never understood why so many were so butt hurt over a label. Your job is still the same as it was yesterday but I guess here's something warm and fuzzy to help you cope while you take 10 years to write your exams.
It has much more to do with the connotation that "intern" carries in every other industry, which is that of a low- or un-paid student, typically without useful skills or experience.
Frankly, it's annoying and a little insulting to try to convince people (aka grandparents) that I have two advanced degrees and years of experience - and yes, my job is full time and pays well and has benefits.
I've always used "Architectural Designer" on my resumes
TDuds, I see your point (my grand father just assumed I was an engineer), but it's not that strong all things considered. I've always assumed Arch Designer was the norm anyways.
Ha! My grandpa said, "Women can't be architects!"
Once you get over the initial shock of the AIA actually publishing a stance on this, it is pretty meh.
I've been working on a blog post about this article, I'll post a link once I publish it.
just get licensed.
Well, it's a step in the right direction.
Yea I hated having intern on my LinkedIn and people wondering why the hell I'm an intern and trying to explain....blah...... Was glad the day I got licensed.
One more reason to procrastinate taking the exams... a nicer title and fewer hurt feelings.
To quote someone else: "just get licensed."
"Just get licensed" belittles the amount of time, effort, and money it takes to get a license the same way calling a professional an "Intern" belittles their ability.
There's no reason to be against this other than "I got mine, so screw you."
Well stated.
Not to mention, that licensure is not an end goal for many people in this profession.
No, not screw you.
Rather, do it and you'll be really glad you did.
Do what you gotta do to achieve the professional status and title you want. This whole title debate is boring - anybody that entertains this navel gazing is wasting valuable time that could be used studying for an exam.
Yes.
To clarify: I'm not against licensure. I'm against labeling those of us on our way towards it with a term typically reserved for part time college-age coffee-fetchers.
I'm not sure why anybody would disagree other than the same bullshit 'pay your dues' hegemony that's persisted in design culture for as long as I've been a part.
Point taken, tduds, and I'm all for a better term if there is one. The use of "intern," meanwhile, varies from field to field. Some interns fetch coffee, some draw roof details, and some assist in cardiac surgery.
Perhaps, but the lowest common connotation seems to be the most popular. So I'd prefer if the profession had a somewhat more professional title.
Did the f***ing idiots at the AIA ever address the fact that medical doctors are addressed as "doctors" and put MD after their name upon completion of medical school and before they have even started their residency?
architects are not equal to doctors nor is their training even close. You don't get a label just because you did not drop out of architecture school.
Yeah you do. "Master of Architecture"
Is that really a thing?
Says it on my $40,000 piece of paper.
As I promised earlier ... NCARB punts, AIA returns with undignified titles
Want architect as title? just pass your exams. End of story. Some people just need to be cuddled.
Agreed, passed mine a year out of grad school.
All the engineers I know were considered engineers after they got their University degrees before they got their PE. Same as doctors being called doctors at the awarding of their degrees. Only in Architectureland in the US is this idiocy promulgated. Honestly, what a group of laughable fucking idiots the AIA is to continue with this nonsense.
What I'd like to see before I die:
Graduate with an accredited degree: you're an architect
Pass the licensing exams and get registered: you're a Registered Architect
This preciousness of the architect title is laughed at by all non architects. ..and the idea that people are working as architects under the title intern for sometimes 10 years is even more ridiculous.
Again, this is not really a victory, AIA has nothing to do with state licensing boards, and this language would seem to satisfy nearly every state board's concern regarding the title.
This is more about satisfying a small group of people that being AIA Executive Board, and their weariness around this topic.
There's much bigger things to get at with the AIA, this issue, ain't one of them.
Just waiting for the squabbling of who has the legal rights to the phrase "design professional."
Take my state for instance, the state board sent out a newsletter, specifically stating that they don't regulate the term "architectural", but that they regulate the term "architect". Design and Professional are so ambiguous, at least currently, as to not fall into some regulatory trap.
I'm thinking more about how graphic designers, industrial designers, etc. are design professionals as well. This suggests ownership of the "title."
^this was what I was wondering about. I mean design professional is something we could have called ourselves before right? "Architectural Design Professional" would have been better.
I think the question if anyone can use architectural associate, or if you need some qualification should be an interesting answer though.
I have never seen a profession so hell-bent on destroying itself and doing such a good job of it as well.
I'd say the profession destroying itself has little to do with this small issue, and more to do with three things;
He: "We pay our architects an average of x thousand dollars a year."
She: That's pretty good, what does an architect fresh out of school make with your firm?"
He: "Uh, there are no architects fresh out of school. Those are "design professionals" and make..................somewhat less".
She: "So, how long does it take for a "design professional" to become an architect and make your entry-level architectural salary, which you never said what the amount was, by the way?"
He: "About seven years, and we don't discuss entry-level architectural salaries. Or design professional salaries for that matter. I believe your time is up"
b3ta is right. All this does is satisfy a few people at the AIA that they supporting emerging professionals.
Donna Sink hit the nail in the coffin with the following statement (you should have been nominated to be the next NCARB Pres. for this):
"What I'd like to see before I die:
Graduate with an accredited degree: you're an architect
Pass the licensing exams and get registered: you're a Registered Architect."
Now lets all rinse and repeat 10 million times so our (US) professional standing and title is like every other country like Germany, France, Italy...
so now you can be a professional without registration / licensing?
is the axp/idp interning requirement for licensure going away too?
or are they going to be called professional interns?
AIA is using word salad to try and distance themselves from the indentured servant program without changing anything
Being a “Professional” isn’t synonymous with having a license. Professional musician, comedian, artist, etc...
You've always been able to be a professional without registration / licensing.
There needs to be a discussion of who pays what with liscensed architects when things go seriously south as they did with the windows in Pei's John Hancock Center in Boston, and the possible near structural failure of Hugh Stubbin's Citicorp Center in NYC.
Oh, look. Another debate about licensure at the level where it makes the least amount of difference. Meanwhile firms continue hiring people, jobs keep getting done, and architecture design professionals all get paid shit. Perhaps we could focus more on things that matter? Grandpops and neenaw ain't gonna report you when you tell them you're an architect.
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