Creating a Culture of Licensure to Support a Diverse Future

Introduction:

As a newly licensed architect, I found myself wondering how I could pay it forward to support the next generation of licensure candidates. Through this curiosity, I found myself volunteering with AIA New Jersey as the licensing advisor and now the young architect representative, supporting Architectural Experience Program (AXP) candidates within my firm as an AXP supervisor and assisting our Architect Registration Examination (ARE) test takers in navigating the journey. With this effort, I unknowingly created a culture of licensure within my firm.

What is Culture?

In order to create a culture, we must first understand what is a culture, specifically with regards to architecture licensure. A culture is the intersection of what we believe, what we see, what we do and what we say. Through polling over 30 participants in a recent workshop, we were able to define a culture of licensure as a supportive, encouraging environment where candidates could build confidence, find resources and motivation to cross the finish line to earn their initial license.

Components of Licensure

Once we understand the broad aspect of culture, we must also understand the components of licensure and the nuances of the individual paths. The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) breaks the path to licensure into three distinct categories: education, experience and exams. Within each category, there are multiple paths by which a candidate can fulfill the requirement, which also varies based on their jurisdiction. To create this culture, we must acknowledge and support the various routes to licensure, which in turn, will help to create the diverse workforce for which we strive.

Creating a Mindset of Opportunity

Oftentimes, licensure candidates can get discouraged by challenges on their path. As supervisors and mentors, we need to work with candidates to reframe these challenges into opportunities. For instance, not all degree programs and schools are created equally, but NCARB has a variety of pathways available based on length and type of program. AXP candidates report having trouble understanding how or when to open an NCARB record and begin logging their experience. Quite often, they worry it is too late to receive credit, without realizing that NCARB allows candidates for partial credit up to 5 years after the fact and for full credit within 6 months. With regards to the exam portion, candidates can sometimes be intimidated by the cost of each exam and study materials, but are not aware of scholarship opportunities from local AIA components or firm materials or financial support. By working with candidates to reframe these challenges into possible opportunities, we help to remove roadblocks in the path to licensure. Taking the time to sit with individual candidates and turn their struggles into opportunities can be the single most impactful aspect of creating a culture of licensure and building a diverse future in the profession.

Variables

There are a number of variables that can shape a candidate’s path, including firm size, their preferred level of formality, their level of commitment and their financial situation. WIthin a larger firm, a candidate might have a peer group at a similar point in the licensure process, whereas in a smaller firm, a candidate could be the only one. To reframe this, although a candidate in a small firm might not have peers to share the experience with, they likely get more one-on-one opportunities to learn with their principals. Regardless of firm size, we can remind all candidates that they always have access to NCARB materials including the ARE 5.0 demonstration exam, practice exams, and the ARE 5.0 community. It is important for us as leaders to understand the varying levels of formality and commitment align the path to licensure, as these have a direct impact on the culture that we create. For instance, structured mentoring programs, like those put together by local National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and AIA chapters, can be very formal in structure, whereas impromptu office hours with candidates or quick coffee chats can be just as impactful but seemingly less formal. Finally, one of the biggest variables is the financial aspect of licensure. As leaders we can help candidates to understand what portions of the process are covered by the firm, ie. NCARB record renewals, exam fees (just passed or are any attempts reimbursed?) and any study materials. The greater the firm’s input, the more open and diverse the culture can become.

Implementing a Culture of Licensure

Now that we have established the components of licensure, defined culture and looked at the challenges and variables along the path, we can look at implementing a culture within our firm.

Within my firm, I am a studio leader, overseeing a team of twelve, eleven of which are actively on the path to licensure. As a leader, it is important to acknowledge that this journey to licensure may not be for everyone and understand each of their nuanced routes. We have a variety of educational backgrounds ranging from the five year NAAB accredited degree to foreign degrees. We also have a variety of experience levels, with some new graduates on the team, ranging up to more senior staff with nearly 20 years in the field. To create this diverse culture, it was very important for me as a leader to understand all of the possible paths to licensure, not just my own. Most importantly, we embrace and celebrate the process, both successes and failures, and support each other in a noncompetitive environment.