For many individuals working to become architects, firm culture is inseparable from licensure progress. Throughout the path to licensure, candidates rely on their firms to help them earn and document experience, prepare for and take the licensing exam, and encourage their professional growth. But NCARB and NOMA’s Baseline on Belonging study highlighted disparities in firm support for candidates pursuing licensure, with women and people of color often reporting lower levels of firm support than their white, male peers.

To help build a foundation for firm leadership and candidates, NCARB has developed two new resources based on our Baseline on Belonging research. These resources aim to promote equitable workplaces by ensuring that candidates know what licensure support they can advocate for, and that firms better understand what level of licensure support they should be offering—and how to share that information with their employees.

  • Candidate Guide: This resource is designed to help licensure candidates find employers that actively support their licensure goals. The guide provides valuable insights and tips for identifying firms that prioritize your professional development, offer study resources and financial support for the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®), and provide mentorship opportunities. Access the Candidate Guide.
  • Firm Guide: This resource offers best practices and actionable tips for maintaining a supportive and equitable work environment for licensure candidates. It covers strategies for providing financial support for licensure, creating candidate support networks, and ensuring equitable access to firm resources. Access the Firm Guide.

These guides were developed based on findings from NCARB and NOMA’s Baseline on Belonging study and our joint action plan.

Going forward, NCARB and NOMA will continue to develop resources to address the disparities identified in our study. And, through our Building on Belonging follow-up effort, we’ll be releasing short surveys exploring specific topics highlighted in the initial research. Stay up to date on the latest Building on Belonging news by subscribing to our emails.