Today the field of Architecture is in constant change; it is all one can to keep up with advances in technology, introduction of new materials and leaps into new production methods. For a seasoned veteran, application of these new advances usually is developed on top of an underlying knowledge of tried and true construction methods. For a new architectural intern, there is a great desire to leap into the world of technological advances with little underlying knowledge of the exisitng and practical construction methods. How does one birdge this gap without crushing the creative spirit encouraged in the academic world? The Intern Development Program was developed to assist new architectural interns in the continuation of their education and preparation for the licensing exam. The IDP in my opinion falls short in encouraging the creativity learned in school.

To me an internship should be a time of learning, for all parties involved, intern, supervisor and mentor. The supervisor and mentor have a wealth of knowledge to share with the intern. it is the intern's primary job to learn as much as they can from their leaders experiences. But, at the same token, it is also the intern's job to share their own experiences and ideas, in order to bring new perspective to the supervisor or mentor. I think this type of learning can only be experienced in a team environment where the intern is seen as a member of the team and not as production labor. The way the Intern Development Program is structured only encourages the idea of intern as labor and not team member.

In order to encourage a more interactive approach to learning, I would suggest adding a category that reflects team sharing, interaction and responses. The IDP's unit requirements only encourage the intern to gather segmented bits of information, although there is validity in this sytem, it seems to ignore the cognition and understanding of the activity being performed. One could work on Construction Documents and satisfactorily get the job done without ever understanding the larger picture; how it fits into the whole or why things are done the way they are done. By adding a requirement which reflects a greater understanding of the whole, the program encourages team interaction between the supervisor and the intern. This also allows the intern to feel some ownership in the work they are doing and will hopefully encourage dialouge that will help the intern feel they can share their ideas that will be new to the supervisor.

Overall, the IDP has been successful in training young architects by placing the experienced veteran in the role as teacher. Although its quantitative measures are often criticized they work for making sure that the intern is at least exposed to necessary criteria. By adding a category that addresses a greater understanding of the requirements through team collaborations, all parties benefit, including the field of architecture and the communities involved.