Continuing education is also very important because jurisdictions that have passed licensing or title registration acts require continuing education for maintaining registration. Professional associations also require continuing education for their members. The exact requirements vary, and it is the individual's responsibly to understand any licensing board or organizational requirements. In most cases, these entities will require approved CEU credits.
Continuing education courses are held for anywhere from one or two hours to perhaps a full day, and a participant will earn one‐tenth of an hour of credit (0.1) for each hour of the class. These courses and workshops are also developed to be of differing difficulty. A course may be very basic in nature, meaning that anyone is likely to gain from taking the course. Advanced courses generally expect that participants have some to fairly extensive knowledge in the subject matter. Many of these types of programs are also available as webinars hosted by various providers.
Educators, interior design practitioners, and other experts in many fields teach continuing education courses. Participants should investigate the provider of the program to understand the speaker's expertise in the topic.
Continuing education programs are offered by local professional associations, provided as part of trade shows such as NeoCon, from industry vendors, independent providers, and allied professionals. Programs approved for continuing education credit are reviewed and approved by the Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC). A list of those programs are available from their Web site www.idcec.org.
Lifelong education comes in other forms as well. Here are a few examples:
In‐house learning opportunities where senior designers provide educational information to staff members.
Distance learning classes offered on a wide variety of topics from colleges and universities around the world.
The research and preparation time required to prepare a seminar or to write an article.
Entering design competitions that require a new design, such as the design of rugs or a speculative interior, rather than one done for a previous client.
Community service participation (discussed later in this chapter).
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION
A professional competency examination is one of the criteria of a profession. The examination that has been the standard for competency testing and certification in the interior designer profession is the NCIDQ examination. This examination has existed since the early 1970s and is administered by the CIDQ.
Professional associations in the 1960s expected their members to pass an examination for competency. The early professional organizations, such as the National Society for Interior Designers (NSID), favored licensing to restrict practice to qualified professionals, whereas others favored qualifying examinations. An examination was devised by the American Institute of Decorators (AID) and in the 1960s, prospective members of the AID had to pass the examination for professional membership. Because of philosophical differences, NSID designed and utilized its own qualifying exam.
The CIDQ was formalized in 1970 joining together credentialing bodies throughout North America. After several years of discussions between CIDQ and the associations, the NCIDQ was organized in 1972 and became an independent corporation in 1974. Its purpose was to maintain standards of practice and develop a means of testing competence for legal qualifications for licensing and title registration. This examination is fully recognized by the major professional associations in the United States and Canada, as well as the IDEC, IDCEC, and the CIDA. The NCIDQ examination is also the primary examination in those U.S. states and Canadian provinces that have licensing, certification, or other registration statutes. Competency requirements in other nations are controlled by each country. Someone who wishes to work internationally must be sure they will be able to work legally.
CIDQ is not a professional association like American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) or International Interior Design Association (IIDA). Individual membership does not exist. The CIDQ organization brings together representatives from state and provincial boards that regulate interior design in their jurisdictions. These representatives and their volunteers work to develop and administer the NCIDQ examination.
Detailed information about qualification, examination application, and information concerning the basic contents of the exam are easily obtained by all from the CIDQ Web site www.cidq.org. A brief overview of the exam is provided here.
The NCIDQ Examination Overview
Eligibility requirements involve a combination of years of education in interior design and a period of work experience. The reader should review CIDQ's current requirements via the Web site or telephone discussions.
The exam itself is in three parts: two parts are computer‐graded multiple‐choice tests focused on application of knowledge and skills, not simply recall of facts. The third part is a practicum problem and requires that candidates produce design solutions.
The examination tests all areas of design practice either through the multiple‐choice questions or the practicum requirements. Topics that are generally included are: codes, building systems, design application, project coordination, life safety, professional practice, and other issues standard to the interior design profession.
An individual who passes all the sections of the examination has thus earned a certificate. Certificate holders are not allowed to place the NCIDQ acronym on their business cards or other marketing materials without also including their certificate number, for example, Jim Jones, NCIDQ Certificate number 12345. Placing something like “Jim Jones, NCIDQ” on a business card is an incorrect use.
Contact CIDQ for information on study methods, resource lists, sample tests, and other tips on preparing to take the NCIDQ examination. Although no formal study groups are available from the professional associations, candidates might find informal study groups locally through associations.
Other Professional Certifications
There are other professional certifications that might be of interest to interior designers. Complete information regarding the qualification and application procedures for these certifications can be obtained from these organizations' national offices or Web sites. Other certification programs for builders and contractors may be appropriate for the interior designer based on education, experience, and business/professional goals.
American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers (AAHID). This professional certification is specifically for those designers who have become specialized in healthcare interior design. Use of the AAHID appellation means the individual has achieved specific experience, passed the NCIDQ examination, and provided other evidence of his or her interior design experience in healthcare facilities. Contact www.AAHID.org for complete qualifications and testing information.
Certified Aging‐in‐Place Specialist (CAPS). Administered through the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), for individuals who have achieved additional business, technical, and customer service skills necessary for working in the aging‐in‐place segment of the industry. Contact www.nhab.org for qualifications and testing information.
Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) or Certified Bathroom Designer (CBD). Administered through the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), for individuals who have demonstrated extensive experience and specialized education in the design of kitchens and bathrooms. Contact www.nkba.org for qualifications and testing information.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®). LEED® certifications are