The mandatory Continuing Education System (CES) comes into effect for Intern Architects AIBC on July 1, 2020. To help support intern architects as they prepare to enter the CES program as CES Participants, information and resources have been made available, both online and in-person. A CES Information Session for intern architects was held this past October – since the session, a number of additional questions have been received.
Here are the top questions and answers:
Do I have any CES requirements for the current reporting period (deadline of June 30, 2020)?
No. Your first reporting period will begin on July 1, 2020. No reporting of Learning Units is required (or accepted) before this time.
If I take an intern architect course prior to becoming a CES Participant, will it count towards my Internship in Architecture Program (IAP) requirements?
Yes. Completion of any IAP courses, at any time, will count towards your IAP requirements. The course requirements for the Internship in Architecture Program are separate from CES requirements.
Note that after July 1, 2020, intern architects will be able to satisfy requirements for both programs (IAP and CES) through one activity. For example, the hours you spend taking the IAP courses or studying for the Oral Review, will be eligible for Learning Units (LUs) and can count towards your CES requirements.
See how the requirements for the two programs overlap in the diagram below (applicable after July 1, 2020):
Are work experience hours for the Canadian Experience Record Book (CERB) also eligible for LUs and CES reporting?
No, CERB hours are not eligible to be reported for LUs.
CERB hours track work experience. As per Bulletin 80: Mandatory Continuing Education System (CES), work experience, or hours spent at work, are not eligible for LUs. Activities that may be eligible for LUs must be dedicated educational activities which have defined learning objectives. They must also be planned and yield new knowledge for the CES Participant.
What types of activities get reported on my behalf?
Any AIBC-Delivered (i.e. IAP courses) and AIBC-Recognized (i.e. Recognized Educational Provider) activities that you have participated in, will be reported on your behalf. Activities such as studying for ExAC/NCARB or the Oral Review must be self-reported. For more information on how to self-report, please refer to the CES Guidelines Self-Reporting Requirements.
Do only AIBC-Delivered or AIBC-Recognized continuing education activities count towards my CES requirements?
No. After July 1, 2020, any relevant educational activity can be self-reported, as long as the content meets the criteria outlined in Bulletin 80: Mandatory Continuing Education System (CES), and is reported properly (refer to Self-Reporting requirements in the CES Guidelines). These activities could be eligible for Core or Non-core, depending on their content and learning format.
Helpful Resources and AIBC Contact
There are many resources that are helpful to review as an intern architect preparing to enter the CES program, including:
- Recap | CES Information Session for Intern Architects AIBC
- CES for Intern Architects AIBC – Three Things to Know
- Overview of the AIBC Continuing Education System
If you have any additional questions about CES, please feel free to reach out to the professional services department at professionaldevelopment@aibc.ca.