Dear New Zealand Registered Architects' Board,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention an issue with the application process for Pathway 2 registration. As an architecture graduate who has been working in New Zealand for 11 years, I have come across a discrepancy between the minimum work experience requirements stated on your website and the actual work experience of successful applicants to the Qualifications and Experience Assessment (QEAP).

I understand that the minimum practical experience required for Pathway 2 is stated as 9,750 hours (5 years), with at least 3,150 hours being spent in the practice of architecture in New Zealand. However, based on the data provided by the board for all the successful QEAP applicants from 2013-2020, the average work experience was 14.85 years. This significant difference in experience time between the minimum requirements and the successful applicants could potentially mislead applicants and lead to frustration with the application process.

Therefore, I would like to request that the board reviews and amends the way the minimum experience hours for Pathway 2 are written, to better reflect and inform applicants of the actual work experience required for successful registration. This would help to avoid any ambiguity or frustration in the application process and ensure transparency for all applicants.

As a potential applicant myself, I appreciate the importance of having a clear and transparent application process. I believe this is a shared sentiment among my colleagues and graduate study groups. Unfortunately, the Pathway 2 process has gained an engrained negative reputation, which may discourage potential applicants. Therefore, I am requesting that the board provides meeting minutes discussing the QEAP and Pathway 2 process and what issues have been identified, if any.

I would greatly appreciate it if the board could provide meeting minutes discussing this OIA request, the issue being raised, and how to better deliver this process and mitigate any feeling of ambiguity, frustration, or lack of transparency. I thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to hearing back from you.

Best regards,
L.K.Harris

Dear Info,

Response to this request is delayed. By law, New Zealand Registered Architects’ Board should normally have responded promptly and by May 22, 2023 (details and exceptions)

Yours sincerely,

L . K. Harris