AWA+D is committed to its mission to advance and support women in the allied fields of architecture and design. To advocate for equality in the field of architecture we wrote a letter to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) with specific suggestions that we believe would greatly improve the number of licensed women. Thank you to all our collaborators and contributors who helped with this letter.
Dear NCARB Representatives:
We, the Association for Women in Architecture and Design (AWA+D), are writing to insist that equity gaps within the licensure process be addressed and removed to increase the number of licensed women identified individuals in efforts create equal access to the Architecture profession. An equitable licensure process is the key to inclusive professional advancement in our profession. We cannot continue to be underrepresented; thus, we urge you to act beyond surveying strategies and create a tangible and accessible process that can be measured and will be inclusive to all women and underrepresented communities.
The unfortunate truth is that the wage gap for women still exists. In combination with discrimination and systemic injustices facing many women, and disproportionally affecting women of color, economic hurdles are a significant reason for our absence from the profession. According to narrowthegap.co: “Women who worked in architecture and engineering occupations made 85 cents to the dollar men earned in 2020. That’s $244 out of a weekly paycheck, which means she got paid $12,688 less doing the same job in 2020. This wage gap is the same as it was in 2011.”
Based on the NCARB’s “Baseline to Belonging” findings and recommendations from AWA+D’s licensure study group, we demand that the following key points concerning education, examination, and experience be considered and implemented to increase accessibility, opportunity and ultimately the number of women in the profession. Included with each category are a few examples of hurdles from AWA+D’s community that relate to the topics:
Education
1. More relevant education
Many candidates find a disconnect between education and examination content. Collaborate with NAAB on education requirements that prepare students and provide knowledge to be successful ARE candidates. Courses that refer to specific exam materials should be offered while in school. Many candidates rely on work experience to learn topics such as contracts and project management, but such experiences are not offered to everyone, especially early in the career.
2. Better transition from student to ARE candidate
Understanding the process and benefits of becoming licensed can be out of reach for many candidates after completing their intense architecture education process. NCARB should offer educational programs / bootcamps to better prepare candidates for what is expected in terms of time and financial commitment and offer courses to prepare recent graduates for the professional world.
3. Accessible Education
NCARB materials are very expensive and not everyone is in an economic disposition to purchase books and literature as required for the exams. NCARB bootcamps, ARE courses and educational workshops are needed and should be offered at multiple cost tiers, making it accessible to candidates at different economic levels. Courses that can be offered at a minimum cost, or free, will help improve the experience of licensure.
Candidate 1
“I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture and currently do not aspire to become licensed simply because of how strenuous the process would be to study, pay, and take the exams. Although my degree makes me eligible to immediately begin this process, I do not see myself being happy or healthy as I navigate the exams. I am enjoying working in an office that exposes me to every part of the architecture field, and wish this was enough or half of the requirements to be licensed. I wish I could add to the small number of Latinas currently licensed in the U.S. but I do not want to carry the burden of the exams process for up to five years.”
Candidate 2
“I studied and graduated abroad and am currently living and practicing our trade in California. I am also a mother with a busy schedule. I discovered recently that I could apply for a license but am not very familiar with NCARB vocabulary, I was very confused by the website and did not know where to begin. I even contacted them for guidance but never got a response. Finally, I got help from a fellow woman architectural designer. Having workshops and introductions for people who are not familiar with the process will help me better be acquainted with the process without having to take too much time from my already busy schedule just to understand the process and commitment.”
Experience
1. Improve access to variety of professional experiences and opportunities
For many candidates (especially Asian and Latina candidates based on NCARB’s survey), it is hard to find variety or experiences in an office. Many candidates find themselves repeating the same kinds of tasks. Some of the examples of experiences that are not easily accessible include: managerial duties such as fee negotiations, contracts, or construction administration and observation duties. These experiences are vital, but the burden is left to the candidates. NCARB could hold employers accountable or offer incentives so that everyone can have access to those experiences and not just those who possess life experiences that granted them the ability to speak up for themselves.
2. Make maintaining NCARB record accessible
Many early-career professionals earn minimum wages (or lower), due to systemic problems within the profession. $95 per year to maintain records may appear affordable to some, but it is not insignificant to others. Adding up all the other costs associated with the licensure process, including penalties for lapsed fees, deters candidates from pursuing the licensure path, thus excluding them from advancing in the profession. We suggest waiving the lapsed fees, which disproportionately penalizes women who take time off to become caregivers. People who are restarting their careers already face many barriers to re-entry, and these lapsed fees create another hurdle for this population.
3. Provide support for older professionals pursuing licensure
Some candidates take time away from the profession or delay starting the licensure process for various reasons such as family, financial instability, higher education, and many other reasons. When these candidates are ready to start the process, they face many obstacles such as finding AXP supportive employers as NCARB’s surveys show. Offering less stringent requirements on recording hours will help many candidates to fulfill hours. NCARB should consider implementing an honor system for recording hours. This is similar to how the California Architects Board enforces continuing education hours. A random auditing system would keep the process fair and candidates accountable.
Candidate 3
“I only began taking exams once I started working for a firm that provided exam benefits - namely reimbursing exam fees for successfully passed divisions, and additional time off work to take the exams. They were also supportive of offering me varied opportunities that allowed me to complete my AXP hours in a reasonable amount of time. I did not feel like I had the time or resources to begin this process when I was working at a less generous firm.”
Candidate 4
“I have renewed my NCARB record every year at $95 per year. It’s been 6-years and I am finally considering re-testing, but it has been rather difficult with life and school taking a priority to commit to the process emotionally and physically all over again. In addition, I received a notice that I was not eligible for licensure because my last exam was 5+ years ago. But NCARB says they will clear me, as long as I pay them another $100 for their service, which is on top of my renewed membership.”
Examination
1. Fewer exams to reduce the amount of time spent on passing the exams
A candidate with family obligations or someone who wants to start a family cannot dedicate several years of their lives to studying and passing 6 divisions. Fewer exams will help women and those with family responsibilities to dedicate the time necessary to study, test and pass the ARE’s. In addition, reducing the waiting period re-test for a failed exam would help decrease the overall time dedicated to the licensure process.
2. Reduce exams costs and associated expenses to allow access to the profession
Study materials are expensive. Women and people of color on average are paid less. Reduce the cost of exams, offer more scholarships to underrepresented communities. Offer one single source for study materials which consolidates information necessary for the candidate’s knowledge and directly relates to exam questions. Incentivize employers to provide study materials and cover costs of exams. Offer need-based reductions of testing fees. Offer financial incentives for taking the exams or passing the exams in less time.
3. Improve passing rates
Many candidates get discouraged and even turn away from the profession because of failed exams. It is possible to maintain expertise while improving passing rates because standardized tests are discriminatory and often require skills irrelevant to one’s professional knowledge and expertise. Reduce stress by offering more time to take the exams. Recent changes to provide more time to ESL students is a great improvement. Provide scratch paper to candidates at testing sites. Provide feedback to candidates who failed on how to improve for better results.
Candidate 5
”I spent over 5 years studying and taking the exams. I delayed having a family for this reason. I paid the price for putting off my personal life and focusing on the career, specifically taking the exams to get licensed. I know choosing between advancing one’s career or having a child is a choice many of my friends who are women had to face. Having so many exams is a burden on us.”
Candidate 6
“I started testing for the ARE’s 7-years after I graduated architecture school. Part of the reason it took me such a long time was I could not find a firm that would allow to take days off for examination and pay for a passed exam. However, if I passed my licensure exams, there would be no change in my salary or pay schedule, as I came to find out, most employers do not value licensed professionals. Once I failed my first exam, I did not have the motivation or incentive to make the time and emotional commitment to re-test.”
Candidate 7
“I started the process almost 15 years ago. Being a mother I had to, either stay home, study while making sure strangers are not raising my kids or go work long hours in an office and that salary would completely go in hiring a nanny. I chose the first one as I wanted to be part of my kids’ lives. But with not having the right study materials and no one to guide, passing the exams was difficult. Also, since no one likes to share what they study and how they do it, the entire process seemed highly secretive. The costs of these exams and a lack of well-defined list of study materials makes it very challenging for anyone, women in particular, as they sacrifice their work, hence, pay in order to raise a family. Immigrant women (who also face costly immigration/work hurdles) and women of color, don’t have easy access to resources and the network of people around them who could show them the path to licensure.”
Our profession is essential and one of the most responsible industries in providing access and inclusion. “The kinds of spaces we have, don’t have, or are denied access to can empower us or render us powerless” writes Lesle Kanes Weisman, a feminist architect, educator and community activist. If some groups are underrepresented or excluded from these roles, they are left to be excluded from the physical spaces that were not designed for everyone. Making licensure more accessible for women and other under-represented populations can only make the profession stronger and more relevant, especially as climate-change & energy-use become more critical. This is a pressing issue, we urge NCARB to act and look forward to seeing these impactful changes implemented in the near future.
Sincerely,
AWA+D Board and Community