In short, an architectural internship is a means of gaining knowledge and experience in order to be prepared for becoming a licensed architect. Currently, this path is in place, but somewhat desultory. Being recognized as a registered architect is something that takes several years of training, and requires a certain level of competency.

After reading the ICS report of 2003 I found it alarming that less than half of those surveyed seemed to be even marginally pleased with their experience as an intern. Why is it that after long hours and dedication of obtaining an accredited degree, embarking on internship, and filling out the required forms are we still not feeling more than half confident in our abilities of becoming licensed architects? It became apparent to me that there is a severe breakdown somewhere between education and completion of IDP that is detrimental to the credibility and quality of the profession.

Few people involved in architecture will argue with the fact that this profession is one of life-long learning. The internship is a fundamental aspect of this process and one that must be fully integrated from the time one has embraced architectural education to the time they have been granted licensure. How long it takes a person to do this should not be limited, as people grow and learn in different ways and at different paces--whether it takes a person 6 years, (the approximate amount of time it took those surveyed to complete IDP and pass the ARE) 3, or 9 years (somewhat arbitrary numbers) to adequately prove their competency as an architect. As it stands now in most states the earliest opportunity one has of tangibly assessing their professional knowledge (via acceptance as an applicant to take the ARE) has been after completion of IDP or after having worked a qualified amount of time under supervision of a licensed architect. This is an arbitrary amount of time, and interns should have opportunities prior to completion of IDP to assess not only their knowledge, but also the quality of their internship.

I frequently hear interns complain about IDP being burdensome and nonsensical. While many of these people may be uninformed it is not uncommon for an intern to question the benefits of the program, and in some cases this ultimately leads to questioning the benefits of licensure. I’m not saying that IDP takes too long or should be eradicated, but I do think that the benefits need to be more apparent, not only to interns but to employers as well. Internship should be an experience of working with competent architects who are passionate about their chosen profession and interested in actively participating in the growth of enthusiastic aspiring architects, not just a society of hard workers who have put in their time.