Expectations for Supervisors

All supervisory experiences are different. The process of supervising is customized and often guided by the established principles, judgment, and interpersonal skills of the IDP supervisor. However, core guidelines must be adhered to in order to achieve the optimum experience for both the IDP supervisor and intern. To earn IDP training hours, the intern must work work under the direct supervision of an IDP supervisor.

1. Adhere to the requirements of direct supervision and the IDP training requirements defined in the IDP Guidelines. 

2. Provide reasonable opportunities to gain adequate experience in each training area.

3. Meet regularly with the intern:

• to give and receive fair and constructive feedback.
• to discuss career goals and progress prior to certifying the NCARB experience report.
• to review and discuss some of the intern’s work samples.
• to provide assistance, advice, and support, especially if the intern is experiencing difficulty in obtaining certain required training experience.
• to provide feedback between scheduled meetings.

4. Hold an active architecture registration in the jurisdiction where their office is located except in those work settings where not required.

5. Be knowledgeable of state title and practice acts, registration requirements, and requirements for NCARB certification.

6. Be familiar with the Emerging Professional's Companion and any other supplementary education activities.

7. Maximize all learning opportunities for the intern you are supervising, including (but not limited to) attending continuing education opportunities and being available for discussion afterwards; client meetings; site meetings; and/or community involvement activities, etc.

8. Understand and support the intern through the use of NCARB’s electronic Experience Verification Reporting (e-EVR) system.

9. Provide a timely and fair assessment of the intern’s work.

10. Review the intern’s experience report and verify the accuracy of the training hours reported.

11. If you must reject an intern’s training hours (THs), share an objective justification with the intern.

12. Be familiar with the current Architect Registration Examination (ARE).

13. Foster leadership opportunities by encouraging community service and participation in civic activities.

14. Be an active listener by checking with the intern to determine that a statement has been correctly heard and understood. This requires the ability to stay focused and the willingness to withhold judgment and build trust.

15. Give constructive feedback, and be sure to:

• Use specific examples of performance or behavior.
• Use non-arguable terms (for example, phrases like “you don’t care” are arguable).
• Give specific constructive or positive feedback within 24-48 hours of observation or receipt of information.
• Use a non-derogatory tone of voice.
• Ask the intern for suggestions as to what could have been done differently and what was learned.

See the IDP Supervisor Guidelines for more information and expectations.