A+ membership provides the opportunity for your entire team - not just a few individuals - to engage with the Institute.
Because all the professional staff in an A+ practice become individual members of the Institute, they all benefit from the networking, training, discounts, and opportunities for participation that may currently be available to only a few.
Stand out strongly from the crowd
A+ membership identifies your firm and your professional team as a premium architectural practice.
The Institute undertakes an annual major advertising campaign promoting the quality attributes of A+ practices to potential clients and the public. In 2010 and 2011 this includes significant advertising on Grand Designs Australia and UK. In addition to this, only A+ members can use the distinctive A+ logo on business cards, letterheads, and other practice collateral to signify their association with this premium brand.
Expert knowledge literally at your fingertips
A+ membership delivers constantly updated, state of the art practice information and knowledge resources to the desktop of every professional staff member in your practice.
Only A+ members have free access to Acumen, EDG Online, and the Institute’s expert Legal Reference Service.
All professional staff in A+ practices have online read-only access to every Australian Standard
Only A+ members have free (that’s right - free!) access to the current version of every Australian Standard, continuously updated. Although there is a time limit for access, you can save a standard to your desktop for 3 hours. A+ members can also simply purchase individual Standards online at a significant discount from the hard copy price.
Save on membership fees
By sharing Institute membership across all professional staff in your practice, the ‘per-member’ cost of A+ membership can be much lower than the cost for ordinary members.
A+ membership fees are up to half the normal rate for each individual member within the practice, whatever their membership category. What’s more, a single payment each quarter by the practice simplifies the paperwork and spreads the cost over the year to greatly assist practice cash flow.
Have greater influence over the future of your profession
A+ practices have significantly greater potential to influence the profession and the Institute, through stronger lobbying and voting power.
Most architectural practices generally have a relatively small number of Institute members. With all eligible professional staff as members, A+ practices hold many more votes to elect office-bearers, contribute ideas to member surveys and help determine the Institute’s strategic priorities.
Be part of an elite team
Being supported as well as educated by committed and competent colleagues within an A+ practice lifts the standard of your whole office.
Easy access to high quality information and a requirement to maintain specified levels of continuing professional development in A+ practices means that you and the rest of your team will be surrounded by a group of best-practice professionals. This in turn makes your practice more attractive to quality professional staff.
Save even more money
A+ membership provides every member in the practice with even more discounts and ongoing free Institute services than ordinary membership.
As well as all the normal member discounts and special free access to Acumen, EDG, Legal Reference Service and Australian Standards, A+ members are uniquely entitled to extra discounts on tickets to the National Conference, International Speaker Series and a range of other Institute events, Awards entry fees and product purchases.
Never stop learning
Being part of an A+ practice means you and all your colleagues will be committed to the life-long learning that is essential to keeping your practice on top.
The Institute’s extensive CPD programs include National Seminar Series, Continuum and local events, all available to A+ members at a discounted rate. CPD is mandatory as part of being a A+ practice but remember that if you are registered in NSW, Tasmania, WA (and from April 2011 Queensland) you already need to meet these requirements for registration. For members in other states and territories you will find that your current CPD activities may already fit the bill.
The benefits keep on coming
A+ members will have priority access to a range of new practice and individual benefits planned to come on stream over the next year and into the future.
In 2010 the Institute overhauled the Find an Architect service, with a range of exclusive benefits for A+ practices.
The Institute is currently developing and negotiating with a number of providers for a range of valuable new member benefits that will be available only to A+ members. These include HR services and other practice assisting tools.
|
