| Archived Decorating Question: Training | |
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Question: What kind of training do I need for a career in decorating?
Answer: The answer to your question probably depends on the type of career you want. Decorating careers cover a wide variety of industries and occupations, and it is growing all the time. There are traditional independent decorators, decorator/salespeople in retail stores, decorating and design professors, teachers, writers, wholesale showroom sales reps, and furniture designers, to name a few. Each of these careers might require various levels of design education and background.
There are several very helpful career and education links and reference sources on our page of Design Education FAQs.
To pursue your education see ALL of the links on the Education Info Page. In particular the FIDER site lists accredited design programs by state. You may want to contact FIDER or ASID directly as well, as they will be able to give you specific advice regarding educational opportunities.
It may help you, too, to do some research and really get an idea of the type of job you hope to get after your training. (For example, some people love to work with retail clients, while others would prefer working in product design, education, PR, advertising, or marketing.) You might get the book "What Color Is Your Parachute" to try to narrow down your work preferences. There are also some helpful online career counseling test links (some very quick, and free) listed on the book's website under tests and advice.
There are many opportunities for you to use your talents, and it will depend on your interests, preferences, and abilities in choosing the one that is right for you.