There's a good chance you supervise
entry-level designers. Your employees are probably
anxious to know if their work experience will
count on their NCIDQ applications. As a
supervisor, you need to educate yourself on these
issues. Your employees--and NCIDQ--thank you!
When does IDEP
become mandatory?
IDEP participation is currently optional.
Further, NCIDQ has no plans to require IDEP
participation in the near future. However, some
jurisdictions, including Ontario (Canada), do
require IDEP participation.
What's the connection between IDEP and the
exam eligibility requirement for supervised work
experience?
IDEP and the supervised work experience
requirement for the exam are not the same
thing. As stated above, IDEP is not required by
NCIDQ (though it may be by your jurisdiction).
However, depending on when they begin
working in the field, your employees may need
to get supervised work experience.
The BEST way for your employees to get this
experience is through IDEP. By working with a
qualified supervisor and mentor and completing the
IDEP requirements, they will automatically
satisfy the supervised work experience
requirement for the exam.
When does supervised work experience become
mandatory for exam applicants?
Prospective exam candidates must complete
approximately two to four years of interior design
work experience (depending on their education
level) before applying to take the exam. They must
complete most of their education before they can
begin to earn work experience toward NCIDQ's eligibility
requirements.
Currently, we recommend but do not
require that this work experience be
supervised by a qualified practitioner:
- An NCIDQ Certificate holder,
- A licensed or registered interior designer,
or
- An architect who offers interior design
services.
In 2008, this recommendation will become a
requirement, but it will not affect all
prospective exam applicants. Applicants who
began to accumulate acceptable work experience in
2007 or earlier will be exempt from the supervised
work experience requirement, regardless of when
they complete their work experience.
Example 1: Jane McIntosh graduated with a
bachelor's degree in interior design in December
2006. In January 2007, she took an entry-level
position under the supervision of an NCIDQ
Certificate holder. She quit in April 2007 and
opened her own business. She will complete the
required 3,520 hours of experience in late
2008--with most of her experience earned on her
own. When she applies to take the exam, NCIDQ
will accept all of Jane's work experience,
including her work as a sole practitioner, because
she began to accumulate work experience in 2007.
The supervised work experience requirement does
not apply to Jane.
Example 2: John O'Brien will graduate with a
bachelor's degree in interior design in June 2007.
His grandparents have given him a round-the-world
trip as a graduation present. Upon his return home
in January 2008, he plans to begin working for an
unlicensed practitioner in his hometown. The
practitioner is not an NCIDQ Certificate holder.
NCIDQ will NOT count John's work under the
unlicensed practitioner toward the minimum number
of hours he needs for exam eligibility. Because
his first day of interior design work experience
will take place in 2008, John must earn ALL of his
required work experience hours under a qualified
practitioner.
What about new graduates who may not be able
to find a qualified supervisor?
NCIDQ is developing an alternate supervision
policy for entry-level designers who cannot find a
qualified supervisor in their area. These
individuals will be required to arrange alternate
supervision (meeting regularly in person, by phone
or e-mail) with a qualified practitioner and
submit a supplemental application and fee to
NCIDQ. Program details and forms will be released
in late 2007.
