From the moment a young woman determines to pursue a career in architecture at the collegiate level, through the first days of her internship, till the moment she actually steps foot in a firm for the first time as an employee, she fights a constant battle for respect amongst her peers. An overwhelming sense of invisibility can exist as she competes with co-workers for opportunities to express the wealth of knowledge she has gained through training and experience. Initially this process at the professional level can parallel the activities of hazing that occurs in a college fraternity or sorority. It is only through sheer force of will, perseverance, and true love of ones trade that a young woman can overcome these obstacles and find ultimate success.

My perception had been that upon graduation from the architecture program at the university level I would receive recognition from those at my firm as a member of our professional community. The reality has been that the long hours of study for the ARE, as well as the substantial requirements attributed to the IDP have seemingly extended the hazing process. I find myself asking if this is all really necessary, or is it a practice in futility. Will I as a female in a predominantly male industry be able to break the glass ceiling placed there by those who came before me?

While I have benefited from my association with those in my firm whom have proven to be quite knowledgeable, I find myself often relegated to remedial tasks such as CAD work. While I fully understand the importance of this within the framework of our corporate structure, and except it as a necessary evil required to keep the business profitable, it can dowse the creative flame of many interns to be overwhelmed by work that is repetitive and monotonous in nature. Unfortunately it would seem the days of working closely with a master tradesman in order to better learn your craft have been replaced with a form of indentured servitude by which the intern primarily is responsible for tasks the senior members of the firm find unsavory.

Based upon these observations, it would seem this "pledge" process within the architectural field is never ending. After six years as an intern I can honestly say that the three-year standard for internships is unrealistic. The added time accounts for the missing pieces to fulfill the dream I desire, including the hard to attain field experience required to fulfill the IDP requirements and additional time energy and money spent on re-exposure to the sections of the ARE infrequently addressed during the internship process. If we are unable to better bridge the gap between academia and the elite "brotherhood" of the architectural field, many capable candidates will begin to seek employment within other professions due to the sense of frustration they have developed along this slow process. If we are to avoid this potential crisis as a community, we must take every step to find alternative solutions.