I believe the reasons for declines in real earnings for some architects
(especially those in small or sole practitioner firms) are very complex
and not especially related to licensing laws (which can vary
significantly from state to state and country to country).  In
Pennsylvania,  my understanding is that engineers, interior designers
and contractors cannot practice architecture or own more than a third of
firms that do.  The architectural economic trends probably reflect that
we must do more work and carry higher overhead costs for a smaller piece
of the construction pie than we previously did.

On the volunteer intern issue -- several years ago the national
architectural student association, got together and lobbied to prevent
firms that do not pay their intern architects in a proper legal way from
receiving various prestigious architectural awards. (intern architects
are recent graduates with professional degrees).  I believe that they
have been somewhat successful, though my firm has long had a policy of
not hiring unpaid volunteers and was not a target.

Ann Trowbridge, AIA
[log in to unmask]



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert T. Handy [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, June 19, 1998 4:10 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: "entry-level" job uproar
>
> Can you document (loosely) your sources of information on the
> Architects?
>
>
> ------
> Robert Handy
> Brazoria County Historical Museum
> museum_bob
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bchm.org
>
> ----------
> From:   Sam Alexander[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:   Friday, June 19, 1998 2:49 PM
> To:     [log in to unmask]
> Subject:        Re: "entry-level" job uproar
>
> Before you get excited about pushing for certification or advanced
> degrees,
> take a very hard look at what this kind of activity did to the
> architectural
> profession in the United States.  The architect's quest for
> professional
> improvement, tougher standards etc. resulted in many professionals
> giving up
> architecture and  a 20 year slide in real earnings.  The profession
> got the
> idea that tougher standards would mean fewer architects and higher
> wages.
> Wrong!  It resulted in clients turning to engineers, contractors, and
> interior
> designers at a cost savings.
>
> Museum professionals in the United States need to take a serious look
> at where
> they are as a group.  The notion of young professionals having to work
> free as
> interns or volunteers is disgusting.  Don't you value your own time?
> Don't
> you have any worth?