Never again. No not ever. Do you know how I spent the last few days of 2011? Working on interior design CEU courses. I spent precious hours reading power points, watching videos, and taking quizzes -- hours that could have been spent enjoying time with family over the holidays.
Professional organizations usually offer several opportunities to attend events where you can earn CEUs throughout the year, and these are often free. BUT, these events may not fit into your schedule. Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in continuing education -- I have taken several continuing education design courses in the last couple of years that I felt would enhance my work, but they weren't recognized by my organization's accrediting body.
I had been looking at some online CEU courses, through my professional organization's website, but most of them were expensive, and I'd blown my budget on those unaccredited courses (which I loved). At the last moment, when I was about to bite the bullet, and pay for some courses, I stumbled upon some free online courses!
For all you designers out there who don't want to spend the last days of the year working on CEUs, and don't have time to attend lots of events that offer CEUs, here are a few links to sites that offer free CEU courses. Some of them are VERY good. I particularly liked the Sherman Williams course on Color and Culture.
For my fellow designers and design enthusiasts, I hope you found this helpful! Have a lovely weekend.
One of many skills of an interior designer is the ability to draw. This artist study was created as an experiment in style range. Drawing isn't the only knowledge area for a designer, however. Codes, and building systems, and materials, and environmental psychology, and art -- the list goes on. Designers are required to continue their education to maintain their professional status.
Professional organizations usually offer several opportunities to attend events where you can earn CEUs throughout the year, and these are often free. BUT, these events may not fit into your schedule. Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in continuing education -- I have taken several continuing education design courses in the last couple of years that I felt would enhance my work, but they weren't recognized by my organization's accrediting body.
Your interior designer is trained to create a variety of schematics for your project, to help you achieve a great outcome.
I had been looking at some online CEU courses, through my professional organization's website, but most of them were expensive, and I'd blown my budget on those unaccredited courses (which I loved). At the last moment, when I was about to bite the bullet, and pay for some courses, I stumbled upon some free online courses!
Knowledge of materials is important in creating designs. These concepts were very quickly sketched out, based on available iron components. CEU courses are often offered by members of particular materials industries. Furnishings manufacturers and industry publishers are also great sources for CEU courses.
For all you designers out there who don't want to spend the last days of the year working on CEUs, and don't have time to attend lots of events that offer CEUs, here are a few links to sites that offer free CEU courses. Some of them are VERY good. I particularly liked the Sherman Williams course on Color and Culture.
- Herman Miller offers a course on workplace collaboration.
- Terri Taylor's Design Biz Blueprint offered a free CEU webinar in December. It's definitely worth watching her blog for similar opportunities in the future -- plus, it's a great blog.
- The Wallcoverings Association offers a free course on, you guessed it, wallcoverings!
- Interior Design Magazine has links to several free online CEU courses on their website, including a course on acoustics, one on vinyl flooring, and a really great course on color.
- McGraw-Hill Construction Continuing Education Center has an extensive list of free CEU courses that may work for you, check with your accrediting body to be sure.
- Interiors and Sources offers several IDCEC approved CEU courses, including a few video courses.
- AEC Daily offers an extensive list of free online CEU courses. Click on course "details" to see which organizations accept the course.
- Ron Blank and Associates webpage has links to many free CEU courses for design professionals. Check each course to see which organizations recognize it.
- The ADA National Network offers several free CEU courses. I have no idea if the credits will be recognized by a design accrediting body, but these courses are worth looking into regardless of accreditation.
For my fellow designers and design enthusiasts, I hope you found this helpful! Have a lovely weekend.
