California Architects Board Suspends CIDP Requirement for Licensure – 6/17/11

By Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIACC

There is a crisis in the architectural profession: the number of individuals being licensed is lower than the number “expiring” each year. While the architectural education remains valuable to other industries, architectural school graduates continue to leave for other professional opportunities. Whether this is solely a function of salaries, or other factors, there is consensus that the licensure process is arduous. It is time consuming, expensive, and replete with administrative requirements. In California, an additional requirement was adopted in 2005 requiring “evidence” in each IDP skill and application areas. This “competency” based Intern Development Program (CIDP) was originally developed to enhance and strengthen the internship experience and to improve the intern/supervisor relationship through discussions about the evidence documentation.

The California Architects Board (CAB), the licensing authority for the profession, professional qualifications committee has explored the effectiveness of the evidence-based overlay (the “competency” requirement for IPD). They have identified concerns about IDP pertaining to: the limited role of the IDP supervisor and mentor; competency assessment; experience alternatives; training areas and settings; IDP entry point; duration requirements; and IDP reporting.

Based on these concerns, the CAB voted on June 16, 2011 to suspend CIDP to coincide with the complete implementation of IDP 2.0 this year. The suspension of CIDP will be reevaluated one year after the complete implementation of IDP 2.0 before determining if the program will be permanently discontinued. CAB staff will notify candidates as to how experience credit will be processed in the transition of CIDP suspension and discontinuance.
The AIACC will also continue to follow this discussion and assist candidates for licensure during this period of uncertainty.

We are curious…what are your thoughts about how this change will impact the profession?