Welcome back to our series, "Why Architects Merit Their Fees." Having traversed intern workload, burnout, and firm structures, let's spotlight the ExAC (Examination for Architects in Canada) Exams.
After logging 2800 varied work hours, an Intern becomes eligible for the ExAC exams. These yearly exams, held nationwide, usually occur over two days but were extended to four days during the pandemic. The exam consists of four sections, each highlighting a critical architectural aspect:
Section 1: Design
Section 2: Building Code
Section 3: Detailed Building Systems
Section 4: Construction, Contracts, and Construction Administration.
The formats include multiple choice, short answer, pairing, or fill-in-the-blank.
ExAC exams are formidable—with an 85% pass rate per exam and a combined four-exam pass rate of 73.2% among 649 interns. We'll probe each section's significance later in the series.
Intern architects often find the Code exam challenging due to its format—specific questions require answers from a physical code book, leading to frantic page-flipping under time pressure. This method, while seeming outdated in the digital age where electronic code book versions are accessible, underscores the need for comprehensive knowledge, emphasizing the importance of knowing where to find information, not just knowing the answer.
Studying for the exam is no easy task; there are only a few official resources available. Many interns form study groups. I personally found it helpful to quiz my friends and listen to their tips. Leveraging company resources, buying construction textbooks, and reading the Canadian Handbook of Practice (CHOP) from cover to cover are all ways Intern Architects can prepare. Although reading the entire building code proved to be a sleep aid rather than a study technique, the dedication to studying, often done after work, between projects, or over the weekends, can't be understated.
Needless to say, the months leading up to the exams are extremely stressful.
On top of everything, the exams cost roughly $250 per exam, totalling $1,000. Most good firms help cover the costs for their employees, but only if they pass. The 25% of interns who fail must wait until the next year to retake any sections they failed, and of course, pay the fees again. This could be a deciding factor for those who may feel the profession of architecture is no longer worth it.
So, congratulations, you've passed your exams, and you're an architect now... well, not quite. There is more. Follow along next week as we go through the Oral exams.
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