Connection
Maximizing your AIA membership
Tips from the NAC Knowledge Work Group Membership is the key to unlocking all of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)’s benefits. The AIA has a global network of architectural professionals whom members can connect with, as well as the local architecture community. Members are the voice of the AIA and will support the organization’s goals, from advancing the built environment to fighting inequity and climate change.
AIA Compensation Survey Salary Calculator This tool allows professionals to compare their salary to their peers’ to increase equity in the profession. There is also a full AIA Compensation Report, completed every year, which includes deeper insights into compensation and benefits in various metro areas. Some chapters keep copies of the physical report available as a resource to their members.
Emerging professionals can maximize their membership by utilizing the resources available for their level of career development. Referring to AIA National as a guide for best practices, chapter leaders can better engage with their emerging professionals by providing leadership development opportunities and professional resources such as tools, education, and support . Not only does increasing awareness of these resources increase the value of an AIA membership, but sharing information between these scales of membership also increases community connection and networking. The following are some of the resources available from AIA National.
While these national resources are helpful, it’s important for state and local chapters to develop programming specifically for their emerging professionals. Most chapters provide some sort of Architect Registration Examination (ARE) prep program, but emerging professionals need something more to see the value in membership. Chapter leaders can encourage the creation of unique and relevant programming by providing resources to support their emerging professionals. They should draw inspiration from what other chapters have tried and proven to be successful.
The Center for Emerging Professionals (CEP) This webpage is a great starting point for emerging professionals. It includes links to applicable resources, education, leadership opportunities, publications, networking, and access to the National Associates Committee (NAC) and Young Architects Forum (YAF). The NAC serves associate members (those within the first ten years of their career) through engagement, innovation, connection, and leadership. The YAF supports recently licensed architects (those licensed for ten years or less) by fostering mentorship, leadership, and networking. Both the NAC and YAF aid and inspire the professional advancement of young architecture professionals. Emerge by AIAU AIA University is a collection of video-based education courses, supplying knowledge that is not always available at firms. Associate members have free access to the platform and pay a discounted price of $25 for each course. Architecture grants and fellowships There are a number of funding sources available through AIA National: AIA Upjohn Research Initiative, AIA College of Fellows Latrobe Prize, the Delano and Aldrich/Emerson Fellowship, and the AIA Arthur N. Tuttle Jr. Graduate Fellowship in Health Facility Planning and Design.
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Above: AIA Tennessee invites EP’s from the Gulf States Region on architectural tours of recently completed projects within the state. Photo credit: Tre Yancy
