According to NCARB’s data, roughly 13% of all U.S. architects are over the age of retirement. In this week’s episode of Inside NCARB by the Numbers, we unpack what might happen to practice as the baby boomer generation begins to retire. Plus, do up-and-coming generations value licensure the same way their predecessors did?
In episode 4, host Andy McIntyre connects with two architects at opposite ends of their careers: Former NCARB President Alfred Vidaurri Jr. shares wisdom from his 40-year career, offering insight into how the practice has evolved and why some architects are choosing not to retire. And Hope Bailey—a newly licensed architect who earned her license in just six years—discusses the motivations, challenges, and cultural shifts shaping her generation.
If you’re an architect thinking about your future—or helping shape someone else’s—this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Listen to the full episode now.
More About the Limited-Series Podcast: Inside NCARB by the Numbers
Through in-depth discussions with experts, researchers, and professionals—including newly licensed architects and educators—the six-episode podcast explores the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruptions to the licensure process, the evolving demographics of the profession, and the barriers that candidates from underrepresented groups continue to face. Listeners will gain valuable insights into current licensure trends, including the impact of NCARB policy changes aimed at increasing accessibility, improving exam pass rates, and fostering a more equitable profession.
