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Career Training>
Interior Design Training Courses, Career Programs, Jobs
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Interior Design Training
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Interior Design Training:
Interior Designers are certified professionals
who work to create and decorate internal
environments according to the requirements of
their client. This may involve the design or
renovation of residential properties or
commercial projects such as offices,
restaurants, nightclubs or stores through to
larger projects like airports or hotels.
Interior designers are able to plan a space and
make it visually appealing. This involves
selecting the materials and products to create
and furnish it as well as creating the best
combination of color, lighting and textures.
However, it is essential that the space is also
safe and functional and so interior designers
must be aware of health and safety and
structural requirements as well as building
codes.
Interior designers work closely with the
client as well as architects, contractors and
other design professionals so excellent
communication and interpersonal skills are
essential. While interior designers are creative
and artistic, interior design involves a lot of
business activity so they need to be disciplined
and organized. The majority of their time will
be spent networking, marketing and selling as
opposed to actually designing. They will need to
negotiate with installers, coordinate teams of
designers / contractors and ensure adequate
supplies of all materials are available while
adhering to the deadlines and budgets set by the
client.
Choosing a program:
There is a wide variety of interior design
courses available from certificate to degree
level. You can also complete many interior
design courses online. If you wish to work in
commercial interior design, it is recommended
that you complete a Bachelors degree. Some
people choose to further their education by
completing a Masters or a Doctoral
qualification.
Subjects that are typically covered in an
Interior Design degree include Architecture,
Construction Fundamentals, Furniture Design,
Ergonomics, Color Theory, Fabrics, Spatial
Planning, Perspective, Ethics and Psychology.
Drawing is also an important element of your
education as it means you will be able to sketch
your ideas for your client. You will also be
trained in CAD (Computer Aided Design). Being
able to develop design ideas using this
industry-standard, time-saving software is a
distinct advantage when seeking employment.
What is involved:
A Bachelor of Science in Design or any other
degree program usually takes four years to
complete. You will often be required to complete
large projects in addition to your regular
academic workload. You may be required to
complete these alone or work in a team with
other students.
If you are completing an online program, they
are generally self-paced which means that you
can study at a schedule that best suits your
needs. The learning material is provided to you
electronically or made available for download
from the school website. Learning online means
that you can skip areas of study you are already
familiar with and devote more time to new
material if necessary. It can prove the best
option for anyone trying to achieve a
qualification while they are working.
Accreditation:
Educational institutions and programs can
receive accreditation from a regional and / or a
professional accrediting body. This means that
they are regularly reviewed to ensure that
particular principles and practices are being
taught at a very high standard. There are six
regional agencies in the US that accredit
schools/programs as part of the Commission for
Higher Education. The accrediting organization
for Interior Design programs is the Council for
Interior Design Accreditation (formerly known as
FIDER).
Interior Designers are now licensed to practice.
This internationally-recognized license is
granted through NCIDQ (National Council for
Interior Design Qualification). Before you are
allowed to take the licensing test, you must
have completed six years of work experience.
This can be made up of two years of schooling
and four years work experience. Alternatively,
you can sit the test if you have successfully
completed a four year qualification in a FIDER-accredited
university or college plus two years of
experience working in the industry. Being a
licensed practitioner proves to potential
clients / employers that you are a responsible
and educated designer.
Career Options:
You may choose to complete an internship
following graduation and your school may assist
in finding a suitable placement. A successful
internship will give you a competitive edge when
seeking future employment and you need to have a
minimum of two years work experience before you
can apply to take the licensing test. You could
work as a freelance designer which gives you
much greater freedom and control over your
projects. However, you may find competition
within the interior design industry is intense
as there are many talented people seeking
employment.
Many graduates take junior positions within
interior design or architectural firms. Others
may find employment within government design
agencies or corporate design departments. You
may decide to specialize in residential design
or you could practice commercial interior
design. You may be the project manager
overseeing all aspects of the project or you
could work as a draftsman or a specifier of
particular products. You could work your way to
being a senior designer or a partner in a design
firm or you may decide to focus on a particular
sector of the industry that interests you. For
example, you could own or operate a fabric
warehouse or become a lighting designer. |
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Interior Design Training
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