Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Interior Design Jobs & Careers

Career Center - by Get Degrees Staff

Recommended Interior Design Schools

	International Academy of Design and Technology Have an opportunity to turn your natural abilities in design, technology, or business into a dynamic and creative career at the International Institute of Design and Technology. With campus locations nationwide, including business and cultural hotspots like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando, IADT is dedicated to helping students prepare for the innovative jobs of tomorrow. We offer a variety of degree levels and program areas designed to fit your individual career track.
	The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division Develop your creative potential through The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division where we give you the freedom to decide when and where to attend class. Because you're always on the go, we offer education to go wherever you connect to the Internet. While we meet the demands of your busy lifestyle, our online degree and diploma programs go even further by embracing the standards of excellence long held by The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and The Art Institutes system of schools backed by an over 85-year commitment to academic excellence. Learn from the leader in online creative arts education.
	The Art Institutes Have you imagined yourself in a school where creativity is nourished and stimulated? Students like you who are interested in design schools belong at The Art Institutes system of schools. We recognize your passion and provide you with the education you'll need to bring your vision to life. The Art Institutes system of schools stands out among other design schools because we are dedicated to your success. We offer associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs, as well as diploma and certificate programs.

Interior design degree programs can prepare you for the growing field of residential and commercial interior design. From finding environmentally friendly furniture to calling the shots for window and wall placements, interior design requires braod scope without forgetting the details. Learn more about this fun field, and put that eye for aesthetics to good use in an interior design degree program.

Interior Design Jobs & Careers

Interior designers are highly trained in getting the most out of a residential, commercial, industrial, or government structure, aesthetically and functionally. They ensure that a home or office interior is pleasing, comfortable, and meets all the code requirements for a safe living/working environment. To that end, when you enroll in an interior design degree program, you receive comprehensive training in all the components that go into a building, along with skills in dealing with clients, suppliers, and building regulations.

Graduates of interior design degree programs take jobs with many of the following specialties:

• Interior Designer
• Drafter
• Interior Decorator
• Junior Designer
• Specifier
• Home Interior Designer
• Industrial Interior Designer
• Commercial Interior Designer
• Restaurant Designer
• Hotel Designer
• Project Manager
• Lighting Designer
• Furnishings Consultant
• Fabrics or Floor Covering Specialist
• Green/Environmental Design Consultant
• Conference or Trade Show Designer
• Television or Motion Picture Set Designer
• Hospital or Healthcare Interior Consultant
• Design Sales Materials Representative
• Senior Designer
• Products Warehouse Manager
• Home Decorator
• Design Writer/Author/Journalist
• Interior Design Educator

Studies for the Interior Design Degree

Classwork can be as varied as the range of professions that are opened to a well-trained interior designer. Expect to take foundation courses in fabrics, lighting, flooring, furniture, houseplants, colors, textures, and appliances. Interior design students typically receive instruction in:

• Illustration
• Drawing
• Perspective
• Design principles
• Ergonomics
• Computer-assisted design
• Spatial planning and layout
• Blueprint reading
• Building codes (fire, electrical, plumbing, etc.)
• Project management

If you plan on working on projects across many specialties, you need to learn about the specific interior design requirements for single-family residences, apartments and duplexes, hotels, lodges, resorts, restaurants, financial institutions, offices, medical facilities, shops and malls, industrial buildings and warehouses. You might consider courses in furniture making, art and design history, industry trends, business, customer relations, antique restorations, sales and marketing.

Your interior design degree program may also offer the latest training in green–or environmentally conscious–interior design, an emerging specialization across the globe. More and more builders are having to meet requirements for allergen or pollution-free homes and workspaces that reduce the carbon footprint on the environment, and interior designers play a large role in the process.

In an interior design degree program, you have the opportunity to work on projects that contribute to a portfolio to show prospective employers. Some programs encourage internships with design or architectural firms that help you build career contacts and professional references.

Your New Career in Interior Design

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than a fourth of all interior designers are self-employed professionals. Others take jobs with architectural or landscape design firms, consulting companies, building material stores and specialty shops, home-furnishing stores and boutiques, construction companies, and regulatory agencies.

Job growth for interior designers–from 2006 through 2016–is predicted to be solid, with an overall increase of 19 percent. It’s a great time to begin your studies; start working towards your interior design degree today.

Woodrow Aames
Woodrow Aames has written articles and profiles for Yahoo, Microsoft Network, Microsoft Encarta, and other websites and print magazines around the world. He holds an MFA degree and has taught English abroad.