It is 11:55 pm, Saturday June 24th after day one of ARE seminar training with Professor Norman Dorf. I write from, what I believe, to be a very critical period in my career. I started my ARE this January and have passed five of nine exams. As I sat through today's seminar, and listened to its content, I could not help but think how fortunate I am to be taking my exams with the experience I have gained. Since this essay competition arose, I have thought very much about the topic, and just decided that I had something to share through my eyes and the choices I made. What is the architectural internship and who is responsible for guiding the emerging professional? Are interns given opportunities or do they need to pursue them?

According to the IDP internship can begin within the confines of higher education. Therefore, I believe it is extremely beneficial to understand the process in college. But when should it start? My opinion comes from not having all the facts about IDP and the career path in college and I received my 4th year Bachelors of Science in Architecture in 1998. When I joined the profession in 1999 my employer was extremely involved in the internship training and I soon discovered that I would have to return to school to get my license due to my states requirements. My employer was savvy in the IDP process and began my feeding tube as I began the long daunting task of collecting my nutrition, i.e. "experience", in the form of a notebook. Although my employer was good at what they considered internship and what I, at that time, perceived as IDP training, I did not get the complete picture until circumstances lead to my moving out of state and joining another firm. I interviewed for a position where my responsibilities would be to replace a licensed architect in the early Schematic Design stage of a five-story interior architecture and art building for a well known university. I could feel the immense responsibility as I sat there in the interview with the company's director of design, two project managers and the office manager. I was elated, excited and this was everything an intern could ask for. After the interview I was given an offer and made the decision to go for it. It was "sink or swim" time and I grew gills. I decided that I need this position to better my experience and career.

When selecting a firm, the intern needs to be very careful where they decide to place themselves. They must think each interview through and decide whether they will get the experience and opportunities to better their career. My first firm was a full AE firm with about 400 people all under one roof with over 100 years experience. They knew how to do it right and I gained experience in the form of ISO9000, TQM seminars, and the TQS training which they sent each and every employee through. They knew what being a professional was all about. This taught me early on that there are all kinds of different people with various personalities and that each one needs to be approached differently. The experience I gained from my second and current employer from the day I started until this very moment is immeasurable. As you recall, I filled the shoes of a registered architect in charge of a project. Running a project will open your eyes to everything it entails from programming, to project management, to coordination of all disciplines and more.

I will revert back now to the question I proposed before. Who is responsible to help out the student emerging into an architect? I see it like this:

1. The School from which they study should make the student aware of the IDP process though a required course preferably in the junior year or later. Freshman and sophomores are still adjusting to the reality of life.
2. The Employer should then enhance the interns' opportunity to gain experience in the necessary fields of IDP for completion.
3. The Emerging Professional needs to take responsibility for one's self. They need to recognize that they must further their experience and take it to the next level. An intern will not get this experience unless they put themselves in the line of fire. The best experience is practice with theory to back it up.

As I sit through the rest of my exams and this seminar I am proud of myself for taking a step and knowing I needed to do it. I am 31 and only until recently did I "get it". I have interns at the beginning levels which work with me and see myself about 3 years ago. Working with a full AE firm, by choice, has surrounded me with knowledge from each aspect of the profession from design, to project coordination, to construction administration. I have entered my exams with some confidence that I feel one with out the full AE commercial experience would lack and be at a disadvantage. The answer to the definition of internship is as individual as our fingerprint. I see it as simply one's understanding of the world of architecture and what it encompasses as a whole. Not each individual with a degree in architecture fulfills the role of an architect. As we become the emerging professional we each fulfill pieces of a bigger puzzle. Having the complete picture one can decide where their piece fits. This emerging professional is currently seeking the role of project management.