How Project Almost Architect is lowering hurdles to licensure

Last year, in a step toward equity and inclusion within the architecture profession, AIA Oregon launched Project Almost Architect (PAA)—a groundbreaking program designed to expand access to licensure across the state. Focused on reducing financial and systemic barriers, this innovative program offers critical resources to professionals who might otherwise struggle to reach licensure.

My inspiration for starting PAA came from the significant inequities present on the path to licensure. When I began my licensure journey, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship from AIA Oregon to offset examination fees. I already had access to quality study materials thanks to support from my firm, but ironically, my layers of advantages illuminated a larger issue: Even a single barrier can prevent an aspiring architect from becoming licensed. 

Over time, the financial obstacles associated with licensure have only intensified. Those obstacles prevent many from even beginning the process, which starts with access to study resources. Programs like PAA can help.

A promising start

In its pilot year, PAA received an overwhelming response: 54 applications in just two weeks. A selection panel consisting of AIA Oregon section leaders, committee chairs, and community members reviewed the impressive pool and selected 10 participants for the year-long program.

PAA provides a comprehensive suite of support at no cost to participants, and it matches each participant with a one-on-one mentor through a curated system, ensuring personalized guidance on the licensure journey. Participants also benefit from a robust series of professional development workshops specifically tailored to licensure candidates. A dedicated study cohort fosters accountability and mutual encouragement among peers. One cohort member, Adel Makboul, Assoc. AIA, describes it as fostering “a real sense of community with all of us in this journey together.” 

Perhaps most significantly, the program includes a one-year subscription to Black Spectacles, a licensure study platform. Access to it “has opened the door to the learning I was looking for,” remarked participant Joshua Fox, Assoc. AIA.

By eliminating financial burdens and offering sustained, structured support, PAA is helping to level the playing field for future architects across Oregon. Notably, the program benefits people at all stages of their careers—not just emerging professionals. The pilot group included a mix of emerging designers, mid-level professionals, and even a firm owner.

Having resources and support creates accountability, which has led to a very high success rate for PAA. Three months into the program, more than half of the participants had already passed exams. Now, as we enter month 10 of the pilot year, several program participants are nearing completion of their licensure journey, with only one or two exams remaining. This progress suggests that the program’s goal of helping participants achieve licensure within one year is attainable. 

Looking ahead

To continue the work of expanding licensure access, I have established the Committee on Practice and Licensure (CoPAL), which houses PAA and other licensure-focused initiatives. These include three study hubs that provide physical study materials at firms throughout Portland, with expansion to other Oregon cities forthcoming, as well as practice-based initiatives such as one titled Women in Design, which launched with 80 registrations at its kickoff event.

PAA is preparing to start its second year with increased capacity. The initiative was made possible in its first year through generous funding from the Chris White Scholarship fund. Its future will be supported through continued fundraising, including the Chris White Scholarship Golf Tournament, which raised more than $35,000 to help secure the program going forward.

AIA Oregon will also launch a spinoff initiative aimed at firms. The firm-focused track will help firms identify and support team members who could benefit from PAA’s resources and aid.

PAA represents more than a program—it’s a movement to ensure that licensure is attainable for all, regardless of the resources offered at the firm level, which vary greatly by firm size. With its early success and a vision for growth, AIA Oregon has presented an exciting new model for increasing access and support in the architectural profession.

Savannah Sinowitz is an associate at ZGF Architects. She is currently serving as a chair of the AIA Oregon Emerging Professionals Committee.