Intern Development Program (IDP)

The National Council of Architecture Registration Boards (NCARB) is responsible for establishing, interpreting and enforcing the Intern Development Program (IDP) and architecture training requirements. The objective of IDP is to prepare interns for competent practice. The IDP training requirement establishes levels of training in important areas of architectural practice. The AIA web site offers a number of resource highlights and information to assist AIA Associate members and interns in their continuing education. For further information about IDP training requirements and NCARB Council Record application procedures, visit the NCARB web site, email NCARB Customer Service at customerservice@ncarb.org or call Customer Service at (202) 879.0520.

Emerging Professionals Companion: An Online Resource
Developed by AIA and NCARB, The Emerging Professionals Companion (EPC) is an online resource for emerging professionals. Primarily intended as a means for interns to earn IDP credit, this resource also can be used by educators in professional practice courses, by young architects seeking continuing education credit, by AIA components developing programming for emerging professionals (e.g., mentoring programs, study groups), and by firms looking for in-house curricula. The EPC's 16 chapters are aligned with NCARB's 16 IDP training areas. Each chapter begins with an in-depth narrative of the subject and provides interactive material. Sign up and learn more!

AIA South Carolina Emerging Professionals Committee
AIA/SC has a growing Emerging Professionals Committee whose aim is to serve as a local network for AIA Associate members and interns. The Chair of this committee is the current Emerging Professionals Director who serves on the Chapter's Board of Directors.

AIA/SC Intern Friendly Firm Program

Over the past few years AIA South Carolina has been working hard to support the education of our emerging professionals in our state as they work toward license. A committee comprised of both licensed architects and emerging professionals from different sized firms has developed a voluntary set of guidelines for firms to use in their offices entitled: Intern Friendly Firms.

Firm owners should take note of the benefits of being an Intern Friendly Firm: higher retention, better job applicants, quicker learning curve, catapulting more interns toward registration. Similar Intern Friendly guidelines have been used by firms in our state and across the nation for several years.

In the past, our Chapter has granted these firms a page on our website to tout their own in-house Intern Friendly Firm programs. We are going to take it a step further. A special logo has been designed for your use. And to make things better, there are no fees associated with this!

The logo will look something like the one below and will be included in each participating firm's profile in our annual magazine. Firms may also use this logo as a part of their in-house programs and advertising.

To fill out the forms to become an Intern Friendly Firm, click here.

AIA South Carolina Intern Friendly Firms

South Carolina architecture firms participating in the AIA/SC "Intern Friendly Firm" program acknowledge the value and contribution their intern architects make to their firms by supporting their education as emerging professionals. These firms certify that they support all of their intern to develop into competent design professionals through board based professional experiences, internal education programs, and personal mentoring. Firms qualify for the IFF program by meeting minimum criteria in the following three categories: NCARB requirement, Supplementary Education & Professional Development, and the Architect's Registration Exam.