Just as with lawyers and architects it was deemed necessary that landscape architects be licensed under the guise of protecting the health and welfare of the public when in actuality it was to protect the firms and jobs of those people already practicing landscape architecture, albeit unlicensed as there was no process for registration.
So the apprentice system was abolished and a lousy testing system was put in place….I’d be willing to bet there are RLA’s here who wouldn’t pass the exam if they were to take it. Basically its a system to ensure that the field is not inundated with new landscape architects every year….Just as with lawyers, plumbers, electricians, etc..
The L.A.R.E. is just a hoop that needs to be jumped through to use the title and I’m jumping like everyone else. I do not refer to myself as a landscape architect. Ever.
But here is what I think…The exam is b.s., especially the multiple choice. There are errors of fact and grammar throughout the exams and its really disgraceful. I’m not proud to say I passed sections a,b, and d without studying. How does that test for minimum competency?
I think its a shame that experience and expertise are looked over and the ability to study to a test is the measure of competence.
