 |
During recent visits to architectural and interior design firms
in Chicago and the Washington, DC, area, a key topic for discussion
was the evolving role of interns in office practice. In addition to
assisting with traditional overhead tasks, such as updating vendor
information, cataloguing materials and archiving projects,
principals and project team leaders are engaging emerging
professionals in a broader range of project-related work, often
relying on the intern as much as they would on any other team
member.
Engaging the Intern in Practice
The decision to engage interns in significant ways illustrates both
the expanding needs within firms and the high degree of confidence
firm leaders are placing in architectural and interior design
interns. Based on individual skill sets and expertise, firms
increasingly involve interns in conceptual design studies for
studio dialogue and critique. These studies may be quick or in
depth, laying the groundwork for design development and client
presentation. Interns are also charged with researching innovative
products and materials that will convey design concepts or meet
specific user needs.
Also gaining momentum is the role of the architectural or interior
design intern in building information modeling (BIM), since many
interns have utilized Revit or other BIM software in studio
courses. In this time of transition, when firms are training
full-time staff in Revit while still utilizing AutoCAD or
Microstation in their projects, interns that are well versed in
these programs are able to work back and forth in putting together
sets of documents, while those skilled in Photoshop are creating
presentation materials that combine 2d and 3d drawings and material
selections.
Hand sketching and rendering skills are also valued. Principals
expressed a high regard for interns with these abilities, as well
as a basic knowledge of business practices, including office
procedures, fee structures and how projects are organized. Students
who have used Excel spreadsheets and Microsoft Project software are
often tapped to assist project managers in updating documents, or
in some cases developing a preliminary draft for the manager to
review and edit.
A working knowledge of sustainable design theories and practices is
also highly regarded. The number of students securing LEED
Accreditation while in college has increased significantly, and
accredited interns often seek alignment with firms that are
committed to sustainable design principles. While the intern may
not have real-life experience applying sustainability theories,
depending on the university setting, he or she may have delved into
research methodologies or explored innovative design approaches in
studio courses, and can contribute to the firm in this area as
well.
The role of the intern may be broad or specific, depending on the
needs of a project team at any given time and the general level of
activity within the firm. Along with contributing technical skills
and knowledge, many interns are thinking critically about client
needs, environmental issues and other design challenges.
Providing Internship Coordination
While the objective of an internship is to gain experience,
individuals who are enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate course
of study may be required to complete internships or have the option
of receiving elective course credit, depending on their program
curricula. Encompassing architecture, interior design and historic
preservation programs, Savannah College of Art and Design’s
School of Building Arts (SBA) provides internship coordination for
all internships, regardless of whether they are for credit.
Part of the Internship Coordinator’s role is to build
relationships with firms and maintain communications regarding
opportunities. A growing number of companies invite students from
specific programs to submit applications for internships, and
fellowships for returning students may also be awarded, along with
a housing stipend.
As Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) students represent all
50 states and 100 nations, a student may indicate interest in an
internship that is located virtually anywhere. Visibility of firms
is heightened through participation in SCAD’s annual
Internship and Job Fair, or through a visit to a campus in
Savannah, Atlanta or Lacoste, France. Returning alumni recruit for
their firms at the Fair or through regular contacts with faculty
and students. Many firms provide posters or send postcard mailings
at intervals.
It is important to establish a vision of what the student would
like the internship to accomplish. In many cases the intern is
limited only by imagination, and, with open dialogue and
encouragement, each student can gain a meaningful, productive
experience that will become an asset.
The Internship Coordinator serves as the supervising professor for
internships in the three majors, providing assistance to students
in researching and evaluating opportunities, as well as reviewing
materials prior to making contact with firms. The Coordinator can
also refer the student to alumni employed in a specific geographic
area for information about firms and working conditions, and then
tracks the student’s progress in securing an internship. Often
familiar with principals or other senior individuals within firms,
the Coordinator may serve as a reference for the intern and stay in
touch through the internship.
Finding Alignment with Firm Culture
An important aspect of internships is the alignment of the intern
with the corporate culture of the firm or other setting. Successful
internships result from many factors, including thorough research
and good communication. Each intern should develop specific goals
for the internship to guide him or her in researching design firms
or other organizations. These goals should be based on individual
interest and desired learning outcomes, with the understanding that
goals for second or third internships will be different from those
for the first time out. During the interview process these goals
are reviewed with the firm and, once the internship is secured,
tailored for the internship period. Following are examples:
• To become knowledgeable about business practices and how
individual firms/companies/organizations are organized.
• To understand how firms or organizations secure and complete
projects.
• To gain an understanding of the role of the intern for
architecture/interior design/historic preservation within
professional firms/companies/organizations.
• To learn to work collaboratively and effectively within a
project team, gaining understanding of schedule, fee and budget
parameters.
• To refine and apply skills acquired in classes to office
practice.
• To participate in meetings with
clients/developers/neighborhood groups.
• To observe how the LEED project checklist works.
• To find new material and furnishing resources for
projects.
• To improve skills in taking field measurements on
site.
• To enhance knowledge of rendering using different software
such as 3D Max, Viz, Maya and Photoshop.
• To gain experience in the production of construction
documents.
• To apply knowledge of building information modeling in
design development and documentation.
• To observe construction progress at project sites.
• To increase knowledge of architecture/interior
design/historic preservation by attending professional development
activities at the firm.
It is important for the firm to assess the capabilities of the
intern, both during the interview and once the individual is on the
job, and to be clear about expectations. Good communication
throughout the internship period is critical for all
involved.
Securing the Internship
For university programs that provide course credit for the
internship, some form of contract between the employer and the
intern may be required, and documentation of the agreement for the
internship is always recommended. The employer should state in the
documentation that the ‘new hire’ position is an
internship rather than a full- or part-time position, and indicate
awareness that learning outcomes are expected. The letter should
confirm the internship start date, duration, numbers of hours/days
per week and other employment terms, including hourly pay rate and
any expected reimbursement of major expense, such as parking or
mass transit allowance in urban areas.
All interns are encouraged to seek paid positions, as they will be
providing value to their employers, and most employers agree;
however, international students may be restricted from receiving
pay unless the internship is registered for course credit.
The employer should describe in general terms the company’s
expectations and the types of tasks the student intern will be
performing. On the intern’s part, documentation that the
student is allowed to work in the United States or other
jurisdiction must be provided to the employer.
If applying for course credit, the student intern will provide a
copy of the employer’s letter to the Internship Coordinator,
along with a completed Field Internship Application and other
supplemental information, such as a Liability Waiver holding the
school faultless, and then the ‘course’ will be
registered.
Architectural interns may ask the firm to assist in documenting the
internship for IDP credits. For interior design interns who began
their first internship period during or after January 2008, all
internship or other work experience to be credited toward IDEP and
taking the NCIDQ exam must be under the direction of an
NCIDQ-certified interior designer or architect, a registered or
licensed interior designer or a registered or licensed
architect.
Assessing Learning Outcomes
For SCAD students registering internships for course credit in SBA
programs, the intern is required to prepare a written weekly
summary describing work responsibilities and activities, including
types of tasks completed and design project experience. The student
intern emails the summary to the Internship Coordinator at the end
of each week, respecting any client confidentiality agreements in
place.
At the midpoint of the internship, the student intern schedules a
meeting with the Internship Coordinator, via telephone or in-person
if working locally, to discuss the internship and any issues of
concern, and to review visual examples of work completed to date.
The Internship Coordinator will then post a midterm grade for the
internship based on the conference and materials reviewed, as well
as on the timeliness of student submittals.
The internship evaluation process encompasses reviews by three
parties: the on-site supervisor within the firm; the student
intern; and the supervising professor. All evaluations contribute
to the final internship grade. Soon after the midpoint of the
internship, the student intern provides a form to the employer to
be completed and forwarded to the Internship Coordinator one week
prior to the last day of classes.
One week prior to the last day of the course period, the intern
submits examples of work completed during the internship, such as
drawings, photographs and written documentation to support the
learning outcomes of the internship. The student also submits a
final report summarizing the experience, stating how the learning
outcomes identified on the field internship application were
accomplished and indicating whether the student would recommend the
experience for future internships.
Finally, the student meets with the Internship Coordinator, either
via telephone or in-person, to review the submittal and to discuss
the outcomes, after which the supervising professor’s
evaluation is completed and a final grade posted.
Taking the Long View of the Internship
Successful internship experience creates a unique edge to be
leveraged after graduation, while returning students gain an
advantage in optimizing the education that remains. A solid
relationship with a principal or other professional contact becomes
a long-term bond when he or she is asked to serve as a mentor or a
topic consultant on a thesis committee. And after learning more
about an academic program, professionals may develop an interest in
teaching in the classroom.
But the greatest benefit may be to the profession, whereby a new
talent earns confidence and trust from a firm willing to engage an
intern in challenging work.
|
