It seems that there
has always been this misconception that Interior Design is nothing more than a
hobby, or a "fun career choice".
There are numerous short, part time and online courses being advertised
to the general public as "Interior Design Courses" giving the
impression that, on completion of one of these courses, you would be considered
an Interior Designer and could set about starting your career. This however is
a far cry from the facts, Interior Design is not only an extremely technical
and challenging career choice, it is also officially recognised as a
profession.
The
South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has recognized the South African
Institute of the Interior Design Professions (The IID) as the professional body
for Interior Designers, Interior Decorators and Interior Architects. IID Members are now able to call themselves
Professionals, with the following designations registered on the National
Qualifications Framework:
Professional
Interior Decorator
Professional
Interior Designer
Professional
Senior Interior Designer
Professional
Interior Architect
If
we look at the IID Professional Interior Design membership, for example, each
member has obtained a minimum 3 year full time degree or diploma in Interior
Design. Furthermore an application to
the IID will not be considered without a minimum 3 years of experience in the
Interior Design field, therefore ensuring that all IID members are not only
qualified but have the experience and expertise to meet the standards of the
IID. In turn Interior Decorator and
Interior Architect members have their own set of requirements in order to be
registered with the IID.
The
IID is determined to accurately represent its professional members and to
inform the public of the importance of hiring a qualified, experienced and
professional Interior Decorator, Interior Designer or Interior Architect. For those who are interested in redecorating
their own homes the IID encourages those individuals to take advantage of these
short courses in home décor, as they would provide some interesting insight
into the decision making and coordinating required to help you with your renovations. For those looking to make a career in the
Field of Interior Design however, the IID cannot over-emphasizes the importance
of investigating the course on offer and ensuring it is accredited by the
relevant authorities and registered with the IID in order to avoid later
disappointment. In short, beware short
of these short courses when making your career decision. The IID would like to encourage those
companies and organisations using the words “Interior Design”, “Interior
Decorating” or “Interior Architecture” in their advertising to rather choose a
more accurate description of the course in order to avoid any confusion.
For those who are
interested in this field of study the IID has a list of registered educational
institutions in your region. Furthermore
the IID is always available to give advice for those looking to hire a
Designer or Decorator for a particular project.
For
more information, contact the IID on national@iidprofessions.com or
0114860450 – www.iidprofessions.com
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