For those of you who are in the profession, IDP is the Intern Development Program, part of the steps to becoming an licensed architect. The typical track is trifold- Degree, Experience, Tests. You get a masters degree in architecture, you log experience in the field (in my case IDP), and you sit for five nasty tests in categories of architectural experience (e.g. structures, schematic design, systems, etc).
Architects are licensed by state, although most states tend to share the same requirements which is pretty handy if you want to work across state lines. You still have to pay your annual licence fee in each state, but its not too hard to get a licence in a different state once you have one. That is, if you have an NCARB certificate. NCARB is an organization that accredits architecture schools and also does something with the certificates that let you get other state licences easily. To get the NCARB certificate, you have to go through IDP. You need to have 3 years of IDP experience recorded to get the certificate after you've passed all the architecture tests. But it can't be just any architectural experience. You can't, for example, take a bus tour of Rome and call it good. There are very strict parameters and conditions under which you can claim hours of experience. Working outside the US apparently like pulling teeth when it comes to NCARB giving you credit. It doesn't matter if you're working directly with Sir Norman Foster, I hear its a real bitch (getting the credit, not working with Foster).
I've got about a third of my hours reported, and I anticipate getting at least another third recorded before July1st. It's just wearing.
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