EMERGING PROFESSIONAL’S COMPANION NOW AVAILABLE FROM AIA
Revolutionary Online Tool Bridges the Gap Between Architectural Education and Professional Practice for Tomorrow’s Architects

Contact: Cara Battaglini
202.626.7462
carab@aia.org  

For Immediate Release
WASHINGTON-- November 9, 2004 - The American Institute of Architects (AIA), together with National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB) announces today the release of the Emerging Professional’s Companion (EPC). This new online tool is designed to expose architectural interns and students to current practice models as well as provide interactive continuing education opportunities for young architects and more seasoned professionals that are already in the workplace.

The EPC was developed in response to an on-going need in the profession to support the emerging professional on their path from education to licensure. The 2003 Internship & Career Survey, co-developed by the AIA National Associates Committee and ArchVoices , when compared to the 1999 AIA Survey on Internship found a jump from 19% to 42% of students getting practical work experience while still in school. Moreover, the survey showed that while the program is designed to take only three years, 59% of interns took four years or longer to complete Intern Development Program (IDP).

This resource is a complete revision to the 1992 version of the Supplementary Education Handbook ( Supp Ed Handbook ) and can be used by interns to receive up to 225 training units in the IDP which is mandatory for licensure in most states. In addition, the EPC is expanded to include the varied paths that an intern or licensed architect may consider during his or her career in architecture. The primary users of the EPC are working architectural interns however the EPC will provide material and exercises for use by mentors in architecture firms and professors at schools of architecture. Each of the 16 chapters begins with a narrative, an introduction to the latest information on that topic. The user can then choose from a series of exercises and case-based scenarios to apply their knowledge in areas such as health, safety, welfare, design and construction liability, and ethical dilemmas.

“At the heart of this project is a spirit of developing practice competency through a strong mentoring relationship. In using the Companion, students and interns select real projects to study or use reality-based scenarios to apply their knowledge and then to share and discuss their discoveries with a licensed architect” said Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, Team Vice President, AIA Community. “Cultivating this method of learning in universities and firms will help to prepare students for their internships and beyond.” According to Dreiling, the activities in the EPC vary in level of difficulty so that they might be applicable to students just beginning to learn about practice issues as well as intermediate interns and advanced practitioners. “We wanted to create a tool that would foster the development of a professional along the life-long learning continuum. I am confident that we have achieved that with the EPC,” said Dreiling.

Firm educators and IDP mentors are optimistic that this tool will facilitate a more focused effort from IDP interns and their mentors to stay on track and complete the program. “I anticipate that this will be enormously instructive to interns and a great catalyst for mentoring and dialogue in offices, both large and small,” said Shannon Kraus, AIA, an associate in the Dallas office of HKS. “I can see clearly where this resource will find much direct and practical application by interns, project managers and management leaders involved in education/training for the firm.”

The EPC can also be used by educators to address complex practice issues directly with their students. The exercises and scenarios can be used as assignments outside of class or adapted for in-class debates and discussions. “Students can work independently or collaboratively to complete the work. The EPC is an excellent resource for classroom use,” said Laura Lee, FAIA, head of the school of architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. “It gives educators the framework to build lectures and hands-on learning exercises that will provide students with the knowledge they need to be successful in various firm settings.”

The EPC is currently available to all stakeholders with a sliding price structure for students, educators, and associate AIA members through the AIA bookstore www.aia.org/books or by visiting www.EPCompanion.org.  

About The American Institute of Architects
Since 1857, the AIA has represented the professional interests of America's architects. As AIA members, 73,000 licensed architects, emerging professionals and allied partners express their commitment to excellence in design and livability in our nation's buildings and communities. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures the client, the public, and colleagues of an AIA-member architect's dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Notes to editors: To request a demonstration, an EPC press kit or to schedule an interview with a current user please contact Cara Battaglini in the AIA’s media relations office, (202) 626-7462, email carab@aia.org.