Professional Studies Advisor Extract in the RIBA Review of Part 3 Education and Training (published September 1997).
The RIBA does not issue a 'job description' for PTAs/PSAs, because the appointment is made by the architecture school, who may organise it in a number of ways: part-time post for someone who is also in practice or as part of a wider job for a member of staff who has good management / admin skills and who also deals with course organisation within the school.
What ever they are they tend to be busy people but they are there for you and it is essential students keep in touch with their PTA throughout their practical training for advice on the suitability of work for professional experience.It is they who are responsible for counter signing a student's record of experience during the Year Out and Post-Part 2 period of practical experience and agreeing their readiness for the Professional Practice Examination.
Students often contact the RIBA to discuss individual professional training dilemmas when they can't get hold of their PSA: 'should I take this job', ' should I move jobs'. Whilst the RIBA is happy to give general information, only your PSA is in a position to give detailed personal advice on career and training moves. Similarly, whilst the RIBA can confirm the professional training scheme general rules on issues such as study leave, your PSA is the person to get on the phone to them to remind them of the training obligation they entered when they took you on as a student.
Students need to note that PSAs are now getting much stricter about signing Log Sheets at the end of the 3 month periods stated in the information sections of the RIBA professional Training.In the old, more leisurely days they used to visit each student in their professional training employment at least once a year, usually having lunch (lunch, what's that?) with the student's employer. Now they keep in touch by phone, e-mail or by inviting employers into the school for a drink and a presentation about professional training.
The new RIBA Professional training website PEDR is now online, allowing you, your psa and your practice to access useful information about the log book and professional practice experience, as well as fill in your log book online.
More information can be found on the Association of Professional Study Advisors in Architecture's website at www.apsaa.org.uk. This excellent new site includes a listing of all the professional studies advisors at UK schools, so if you don't know who yours is look them up now!