Women are seriously underrepresented as registered architects in Australia. Parlour thinks that this matters – so we welcome two new fast track pathways from the AACA that will assist experienced practitioners to become registered.
There are twice as many women working in architecture than there are female registered architects, and women form a larger proportion of architecture’s ‘informal’ workforce than men do. Detailed research by a team led by Dr Susan Shannon shows that gender has an impact on registration, for multiple entwined reasons.
Data compilation and analysis by Gill Matthewson
This matters. As Gill Matthewson points out, not being registered has consequences: it tends to restrict women’s ability to move into positions of influence and seniority, and research in other fields shows that formal qualifications matter more for women’s careers than they do for men. Numbers of women registering in recent years have increased dramatically, and now there is more good news.
The Architects Accreditation Council of Australia (AACA) has developed two new programs, developed with support of Architect Registration Boards around Australia, which we hope will further increase the numbers of women registering:
- The National Program of Assessment for Locally Experienced Practitioners program encourages experienced practitioners to access registration by offering an alternative pathway to the Architectural Practice Examination (APE).
- The Overseas Architect Assessment Program was developed in response to data that indicates only around 30% of overseas architects resident in Australia complete the process of registering as an architect.
National Program of Assessment for Locally Experienced Practitioners
This program has been developed as an alternate pathway to registration for graduates of Australian accredited architecture programs with relevant experience at executive level in complex projects.
Local practitioners applying for this program must meet a number of criteria:
- a minimum 5-year (or equivalent) professional qualification in architecture
- 7 years relevant professional postgraduate experience with a minimum of 3 years practising at executive level (principal decision maker)
- 12 months relevant professional experience in Australia within the last 3 years
- resident in Australia
Successful completion of this program allows applicants to bypass the Architectural Practice Examination (APE) and apply directly for registration as an architect to the Architect Registration Board in the relevant State or Territory. Applicants submit their applications directly to the Architect Registration Board in the State or Territory where they wish to practise.
Click here for more information.
Overseas Architect Assessment Program (OAAP)
The OAAP is an alternate pathway to registration for overseas architects with relevant experience at executive level in complex projects who are not eligible for registration under existing mutual recognition agreements.
Overseas architects applying for this program must meet a number of criteria:
- a minimum 5-year (or equivalent) professional qualification in architecture
- 7 years relevant professional postgraduate experience
- minimum of 3 years as an architect practising at executive level
- 12 months relevant professional experience in Australia within the last 3 years
- resident in Australia and proficient in English
The OAAP requires applicants to demonstrate through a portfolio of complex projects an applied understanding of the required Performance Criteria from the National Standard of Competency for Architects; appropriate experience and practice of architecture at an Executive Level; and a capacity to exercise professional skill as an architectural practitioner in Australia.
Click here for more information.
