On July 1, 2020, intern architects became part of AIBC’s Continuing Education System (CES). Over the past year, the Institute has been providing information about the system and its requirements to assist intern architects as they prepared to join the program. Now that Intern Architects AIBC are officially required to earn and report Learning Units (LUs), we are recapping several key components of the CES Program, as well as helpful tips:
36 Learning Units (of which at least 16 must be Core) are Required
Intern architects are required to earn 36 LUs over the two-year reporting period – the first reporting period deadline is June 30, 2022. LUs can be earned in a variety of ways:
- AIBC-Delivered activities (i.e. IAP courses);
- AIBC-Recognized activities (i.e. Recognized Educational Provider program); or
- Any other architecturally relevant educational activity
AIBC-Delivered and AIBC-Recognized activities will be reported by the AIBC on your behalf. All other activities can be self-reported through the online system – self-reporting requirements can be found in the CES Guidelines. All regulatory requirements of CES, including examples of Core and Non-core activities, are outlined in Bulletin 80: Mandatory Continuing Education System (CES).
Only Activities Completed July 1, 2020 Onwards are Eligible
Any activities completed prior to July 1, 2020 cannot be reported for credit. This is considered backdating and is not permitted, as per Bulletin 80: Mandatory Continuing Education System (CES).
CERB Hours are not Eligible for Learning Units
CERB hours track work experience. As outlined in 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.
Visit the AIBC Online Events Calendar
Many upcoming AIBC-Recognized activities and all AIBC-Delivered activities are listed in the events calendar. This is a great way to find new educational opportunities, and we encourage CES Participants to view the calendar frequently as it is updated on a regular basis. As an added benefit, no self-reporting is required for any of the activities listed in the calendar – the LUs will be automatically added by the AIBC.
Online Learning Activities are Available
The AIBC recognizes that many in-person activities have been cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it more challenging to find educational activities. The AIBC has created a CES Resource Roundup that lists a variety of online opportunities, many at low or no cost. The list consists of more than 35 different online opportunities through which CES Participants can earn LUs. The document will continue to be updated as more learning activities become available.
Helpful Resources and AIBC Contact
There are many resources that are helpful to review as an intern architect entering the CES program, including:
- CES for Intern Architects | Revisiting Frequently Asked Questions
- Recap | CES Information Session for Intern Architects AIBC
- CES for Intern Architects AIBC – Three Things to Know
- Overview of the AIBC Continuing Education System (CES)
If you have any additional questions about CES, please reach out to the professional services department at professionaldevelopment@aibc.ca.