We are proud to announce that our firm was again selected as an Emerging Professional Friendly Firm by the American Institute of Architects Central States Region for 2019, continuing our long history of being recognized for our support of Emerging Professionals. The AIA Central States Region (CSR) is composed of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. An Emerging Professional (EP) is defined by the AIA as a student, recent graduate or architect licensed within the last 10 years. This award is given to firms who display an outstanding commitment to the development of their EP staff.
“I chose this firm initially because I knew they took good care of their interns and I knew I would get the opportunity to grow,” said Sarah Ramey, who is currently working to obtain her license to practice architecture in the state of Oklahoma. “SGA has 100% supported my path to licensure not only through personal encouragement but also financially. They have also supported my desire to get involved in our local AIA chapter and design community. I would not have developed the confidence and skill to become a capable project manager so early on in my career without the support of SGA and my team.”
As of the date of the award, SGA Design Group employed 24 EPs who represent just under 25% of our firm. We make it a top priority to hand-select, train, and empower our employees. Some of the benefits we provide include payment of all NCARB and AIA annual fees, study materials, and paid time off to take the Architect Registration Examination. To enhance NCARB’s AXP (Architectural Experience Program, formerly known as IDP), we have developed an in-house mentoring program that pairs an emerging professional with a more experienced architect.