May 13, 2008
by: Daniel Fox

Event: 2008 National Conference for the Intern Development Program (IDP)
Location: Albuquerque, NM, 04.11-12.08
Speakers: For a full list of speakers and presentations, go to the conference website
Organizer: AIA Emerging Professionals Committee

This year’s IDP conference introduced many changes to the process that may cause ripple effects throughout the profession. The Intern Development Program, hosted by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), has been around for some 33 years, not long when compared to the 150-year-old AIA.

One major change to IDP involves the time period that interns have to report their Training Units. If approved during NCARB’s June 2008 Annual Meeting, Resolution 2008-G will require interns establishing a new IDP record on or after July 1, 2009, to report their Training Units in periods of no longer than six months. Beginning July 1, 2010, all interns enrolled in IDP will need to report their hours every six months. Upon implementation, retroactive reporting will become a thing of the past. This new policy is being introduced in conjunction with NCARB’s new online IDP reporting system, which itself is expected to be complete before July 1, 2009.

In addition to IDP reports, the New York State architectural licensure process will soon allow interns enrolled in IDP to concurrently take the Architectural Registration Exam (ARE). Other states have already adopted this practice, and upon approval by the New York State Board of Regents this fall or winter, candidates will be able to take the ARE at the same time they are completing their hours for IDP.

As more firms embrace IDP, AIA and NCARB have introduced two award programs: the IDP Firm Award and IDP Outstanding Firm Award. Recognizing firms that demonstrate exemplary efforts to support interns, the AIA hopes these awards will become a catalyst for IDP awareness. This year’s recipients of IDP Firm Awards include: BRR Architecture (Merriam, KS), Centerbrook Architects and Planners (Centerbrook, CT); Hendon + Huckestein Architects (Birmingham, AL); James Hundt Architecture (Clifton Park, NY); KTGY Group (Irvine, CA); Scott&Goble Architects (Tulsa, OK); Seay Seay, & Litchfield (Montgomery, AL); and Williams Blackstock Architects (Birmingham, AL). No NYC-based firms were given awards this year. The IDP Outstanding Firm Awards Program is still accepting submissions. The Summer 2008 cutoff deadline is July 15. Click here for more information.

Mark Behm, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, is an intern and auxiliary IDP Coordinator at Mancini Duffy Architecture & Interior Design, and co-chair of the AIA Professional Practice Committee.

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