In Search for Competition Committee People
We're trying to get a group of people to put together a proposal to organize a competition.
There's a kernel of an idea by Suman Lee, an intern that works at my office. Roughly, the idea is I think to get people to critically think about alternatives to the kind of podium-and-tower-type urban architecture that Vancouver has been developing - it's something that the developers and the city somehow find successful. Brent Toderian talked about this at his AIBC lecture - not that I was there, but Suman was!
So, what we kind of need are people to figure out how to bring this idea into reality! Produce a bunch of stuff like a deadline schedule, entry details, propose and promote it to the people that need to know - ie the AIBC, the interns, possible jury people. Essentially the operational "working documents" of the competition idea.
So far, the interns should be able to book the AIBC Gallery for 6 weeks in July-August. So that's the main deadline.
Are you interested?! And / or do you know others that might be? :)
I'm at Steamworks again Friday Jan. 5th - hope to see you then!
Inter(n)action
We had an Intern Architect meeting Thursday (it's usually the second Thursday at lunchtime if you're ever interested in coming...), and among other things, talked about overtime. I'm personally interested in not pursuing this in a confrontational way at this point. I would say I learnt from architecture school to get at a problem "indirectly" - or as someone here in my office says, "sneak up" on it.
My goal is to bring this issue clearly out into the open and on the table. To interns and architects, so there is no doubt to hide behind. I don't want to aim fire at the non-compliant. I want to value and recognize the firms who respect, value, and support interns more than other firms. I want principals to know that it is in their interest as a business manager and a professional that supporting interns supports the business and the profession.
I'll draft up
a) the issues from the intern perspective / our complaints
b) these complaints are based on factual info i.e. the survey, the letters I've received, articles I've found on the internet
c) recommendations for positive-oriented proposals for action (i.e., getting the existing info out on legislation etc to all MAIBCs; defining what an intern-friendly office is; getting better business practice related courses to MAIBCs to aid them in personnel / human resources management; recognizing firms who are intern-friendly via recognition awards).
Hopefully, the plan is to report to the IAC on Jan 11th, to the Registration Board on the 24th, and then to Council at the February meeting.
Do you have any ideas / input on this?
Letters from Interns
E-mail from Intern A: 1 December 2006In my first office we were not paid overtime. End of story. The firm was big and treated Interns with an attitude of "If you don't like this you can leave". After two years, I did. My second, third and fourth offices all paid straight time. But according to Employment Standards, interns are "unlicensed professionals", are therefore technically "support staff" and should receive 1.5x per hour. A few firms do pay this but strictly limit the amount of "authorized" overtime. Most seem to go with the "straight time" policy. My opinion is that the AIBC should make it mandatory for all firms to comply to the Employments Standards Act. In terms of not being compensated, I was told "You are now a professional": legally, no I am not. In regards to being paid just straight time, I have been told "You should be happy to get anything": legally, I am entitled to 1.5x.
One of the problems of asking for enforcement is that the very people who need to enforce and uphold ethical business practices are those who steer the AIBC itself. Among those who paid me straight time is a former AIBC president. I would be curious to see a poll of compliance among AIBC executives. Just as we see all those green sheets cluttering our mail about members who do not comply to the self-regulated requirement for annual re-education, compliance to all mandatory standards, like the Employment Standards Act should be treated in the same manner. How can we expect others to see us as truly professional when we treat our own a cheap labour?
I hate the argument that it will cost the firm too much. The bosses used it during the lean times of the late 80's (when I first worked as a student) but now in the boom days, I don't exactly see the purse strings loosening up. Besides, that's what formalized standards are for: to govern managers so that they do not take advantage of people in positions of less power. Why should we give in to the lowest denomination of business practices? The other problem is that when interns (and technicians) are taken advantage of, it breeds an attitude of careless regard for their hours and well, their life. People tend not to value what comes cheap, office managers are no exception. As the AIBC sits by and does nothing, the cycle continues as interns become registered and become the managers. All the same arguments resurface and nothing changes.
So those are my thoughts. I guess I could go on, but any more time spent on this would require overtime. :-)
E-mail from Intern B: 4 December 2006I was just reading the intern update, and wanted to let you know that I too am concerned that interns aren't being paid overtime. At the office where I work, overtime is paid at the same rate as regular hours. I have brought this issue up with the company, but there seems to be no attempt to abide by the Employment Standards Act. Essentially, the message they are giving is "if you don't like it, then don't work here." I have not pressed the issue because i have yet to work more than a couple hours of overtime, but I see this as a major issue facing Interns, who generally are too afraid to say anything.
In terms of what can be done, I would like to see the AIBC or the IAC try to
enfore this somehow. I know that these types of matters dont normally fall under their juristiction, but perhaps the IAC could send out a letter to all the firms in town that currently employ interns, and remind them that this is the law.
Anyways, if i think of any other ideas, I will let you know.
Thanks for all the hard work the Intern Committee is doing to support us.
The Intern Trap
The following is from "'The Intern Trap' Revisited"
by Thomas Fisher, Assoc. AIA
Professor and Dean, College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota
This and more can been seen at (
http://committees.architects.org/idp/interntrap-revisit.pdf)
In 1994, I wrote an article for Progressive Architecture, entitled “The Intern Trap,” that focused on the problem of well-known firms either not paying their interns or using sleights-of-hand, such as calling their interns “consultants,” to avoid paying health benefits or withholding taxes. The American Institute of Architects and The American Institute of Architecture Students responded with policies that strongly discouraged members and firms from engaging in such activities, and that—plus the very real criminal penalties that come with violations of labor or tax laws in many instances—seems to have greatly reduced the incidence of such behavior.
That does not mean that architecture interns have no more challenges, however. As the research and commentary in this issue of AIA | J show, interns often remain underutilized, overlooked, poorly paid, and pigeonholed in many firms. Surveys conducted by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, the AIA National Associates Committee, and ArchVoices reveal the extent to which interns have limited exposure to many aspects of architecture practice, receive relatively little mentoring within firms, remain at the bottom of the office pay scale, and struggle against being labeled the “CAD jockey.”
There are signs of hope. The profession has begun to recognize firms that treat their interns well, one of which is profiled on page 13 in this issue. And two Internship Summits, reported on here, drew attention to the very real problems the newest members of our profession face.
The problems of interns demand our attention, since the challenges they face are precisely the ones the profession faces as a whole. In not valuing the knowledge of interns, we learn to devalue our knowledge as architects. In not mentoring our interns, we learn to expect little collegiality from our colleagues. In not paying interns better, we learn to accept inadequate compensation ourselves. When we exploit others, we leave ourselves open to exploitation.
How we treat the most vulnerable members of our profession determines how we will be treated by clients and communities, consultants and contractors. If we are to change the conditions of architecture practice, then it begins right here—with interns.
RAIC in 2007
I'm not exactly sure why intern architects in particular would want to be a Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada - I asked them what the benefits are back in the summer, but they have yet to respond. I also asked them if they would consider an intern architect on their board. Anyways, I'm just not aware of what they offer interns in particular. But I guess you can buy a CHOP (Canadian Handbook of Practice) at a discount.
In any case, if this sort of thing peaks your interest and you are willing to part with $75, get a membership soon! They don't pro-rate fees like the AIBC does, and the membership is valid per calendar year starting in January. It's cheaper for interns than architects. Architects pay $305 a year, while interns pay $75 for 3 years ($305 after that - is that a hint?!). Architectural graduates of 2006 pay nothing - what a deal!
Talked to Colin Wong, AIBC Director of Communications the other day. He said, write in your blog that there's an AIBC Open House on Monday Dec. 11th, 5-8pm. I'm at a Council meeting specially timed at 2pm to prelude to the festivities. We're fed too, despite the late hour. Somehow, before or after feeding, a group photo. Evidence of attendance I guess. Presentations by board chairs. I wonder who they are?
Thursday is Intern Architect Committee meeting. Haven't read what's on the agenda, but I'm adding a few things!
Roaming through the AIA website, which seems to be vastly different than the RAIC in terms of content relevant to interns. A report from 2001 seems interesting: Collateral Internship Task Force Final Report (
http://www.aia.org/idp_citfreport). Imagine being called an "architect" when you graduate from architecture school!
"IX. Architecture graduates should be recognized for their knowledge and abilities.
Appropriate titling, responsibility, and compensation should reflect an individual's stage of achievement.
1. Compensation should correspond to an individual's level of responsibility, experience, and education.
2. With the achievement of goals one through eight, titling should reflect an individual's stage of professional development.
- "Architecture student" is used to describe those individuals who are dedicating a significant portion of their lives to the formal study of architecture.
- "Architect" is used to describe professional degree graduates of an accredited program as they pursue one of the diverse career paths for which their architectural education has prepared them, based on the full and successful implementation of the concepts espoused in this report.
This recommendation presumes that through the collaborative process outlined herein, there is an elevation of the quality of the education, experience, and examination process. The recommendation further presumes a fundamental paradigm shift from the current exclusionary and qualifying environment, to one of inclusion of emerging professionals. By including these graduates, they will have the potential to become more engaged in the profession as a whole, and contribute to the profession and society because of their elevation and status that recognizes their skills and knowledge.
Through the celebration and inclusion of these architects within the larger context of society, these individuals have the potential to expand the influence of the highest values and aspirations of the architectural profession and the quality of the built environment in service to society.
- "Registered architect" is used to describe those individuals legally responsible for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the public."More fun stuff:
http://committees.architects.org/IDP/support.html - so good I'm going to put it on my links to the left. Good stuff re: inter-friendly firms. Also check out "The Intern Trap". Apparently in the states they've had national "Intern Summits" that flesh out concerns of interns.
Overtime Slackers
In the past, say, 2 months, this is what I know about interns doing overtime:
AIBC Bylaw 33.1 states that "In practicing architecture, an architect shall not knowingly violate any law or legislation."
Intern architects work overtime and do not get compensated for it according to the bc employment standards act (ESA). 17.4% of interns receive time and a half for overtime. Interns work an average of 12 hours overtime per week. I received an e-mail that said that an intern worked 67 hours of overtime in a month recently, including a 24 hour shift, along with 2 others.
One intern I know is filing it the way AIBC Practice Note #11 recommends (i.e., through the employment standards office). Two interns, each of different firms, have each individually written to their employers, and include Practice Note #11 and the ESA regarding overtime.
It's illegal. It's inefficient for the office to have sluggish interns. It's bad for the individual interns who are afraid to sacrifice job security in the small architectural community. Who don't see their friends and family, who don't have time to eat and sleep - let alone do exams. And who are at a higher risk of a heart attack due to excess work and exhaustion!
It's bad for architecture.
sardines schilling superman 'struction
Mostly walking to work ... and back these days in the snow. Transit sucks - packed like sardines either on the bus or Skytrain that don't have proper ventilation (
I think). Walked on Cambie Bridge the other night. Have you seen that Concord Pacific building east of the bridge? I think the lack of setback is just totally gross! Almost as bad as the Main St. Skytrain station, where people look straight into people's homes from the platform.
Anyways. What's new. Annual report stuff - Patrick Schilling, the chair of the intern committee has written something up, asked me to look over it. Intern Update out. The first page seems to be stuff by the staff, the second page mostly stuff by Anthony Milkovich and me. No "real" article. I wrote something, not much of anything really, but I guess that didn't make the cut.
Went to the lecture on, what was it, Tuesday? A belgium architect. Did some absolutely fabulous stuff - what I would call urban architectural design. I'd call him some sort of a mild mannered Superman. Presentation style was "mild" but his work was absolutely bang on.
Talked to Margo Paris at CANstruction yesterday. She's pretty cool - she did an architectural degree, though didn't go for registration. Anyways, she wants us interns to participate! Here's what she wrote this morning:
"1. If the entry fee is a significant hurdle, we can look at designating an unused sponsor entry (no charge) on a case by case basis.
2. An all-intern team might be considered equivalent to a school team at the reduced $100 rate. This is for a team comprised of individuals, who are not representing their employers.
3. Interns can be matched with existing school or corporate teams who are in need of a designer.
4. Interns can join an existing corporate team - one with a designated design professional - the more hands the merrier.
5. Interns can volunteer at the Canstruction Competition, during the build, exhibit and/or de-canstruction, providing support to the Food Bank organizing committee."
So! If you are interested, let me know. Or email directly mparis@brookdev.com
