Recently I accepted a position as an intern at a local architecture firm. This is a big relief for me since I've been worried about getting a job, however it is uncompensated. Unpaid internships are a common practice in architecture and to some extent we all do it when we're starting out.
I know that in the past I've used this blog as a platform to express my disgust with the exploitation of young architectural workers, but I feel that this arrangement is morally fine for a few reasons. Firstly it's strictly for work on architectural competitions, for which the firm is not compensated. Also to be blunt I really need the experience. A gap on my resume would be poisonous once new graduates start entering the market in June and July. If you don't work for too long people start to assume it's for a reason. Finally I will be able to count this experience towards my eventual licensure, which is important in itself. Plus they do good work.
So things are beginning to look up for me- the work is exciting, it's great to have a full schedule for a change, and I'm starting to rack up IDP hours again. And who knows- maybe these competition entries will even be published?
