Architecture is the visual background of our society. We see architecture in film, television, print media and even on personal holidays. Celebrities are even striving to become architects as another means to inspire and transform the public. So why are so many architectural graduates running off to alternative careers? Do they consider the process to becoming an architect to difficult? Are they fearful of seeing a computer more than a construction site? As someone who had a brief stint in an alternative career upon graduation, there is a large disconnect between education and practice. The architectural internship should do a better job at bridging the gap between education and practice prior to loosing so many graduates to alternative careers.

As early as my first year in architectural school, I have been hearing so much about the differences between education and practice. Lucky for me I was fortunate enough to experience a variety of practical experiences while in school from firm experience abroad to a design/build project. In these experiences, I found my positive energy harnessed and put toward educational tasks in completing an end product. With graduation approaching, the economy down and only one brief American office experience under my belt, I found myself confused and alone in taking the first steps in my career.

With graduation approaching, I found myself overwhelmed with various questions on how to begin my career. Which part of the country do I wish to practice? What type of work will inspire me? What can I contribute to a firm? How can I educate younger generations on architecture, city planning or environmental design? How do I learn what I need to become an "architect?" Does my education or experiences match-up to my peers? I was, and still am, in dire need of a way to connect my interests up with the architectural community.

By luck of knowing someone who knew someone, I have found my back to a more traditional career in architecture. I found mentors who believed in me and helped me layout my internship. Naturally my internship follows all the NCARB training requirements to take the architectural registration exam. However my struggle to obtain acceptable training while working on the owner (think biggest landlord in the U.S) side made me realize there are several factors, which attributes to developing future architects. Each intern should be given the opportunity to design his or her internship to suit their needs, interests and goals, not every architect has the same sense of design; so why is there only one way to become an architect?

With any luck, the "Designing Tomorrow's Architect" Conference will promote diversity in becoming an architect to the discussion table. There needs to be more than one way to become an architect, we should take a look at the history of internships and what is working aboard. Future American Architects could borrow and develop the best practices in a new age internship.