Interior designers must continually seek improvement to their creative skillset and their business management capabilities—for personal challenge, professional growth, and the success of their interior design business. Interior designers can find further education after becoming qualified via courses, workshops, and seminars to develop new, important interior design skills to attract new clients and remain at the forefront of the interior design industry. We call this Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

The British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) is the UK's preeminent professional body for interior designers. Commitment to CPD is a requirement for all BIID members, this mandate ensures British interior designers strive for continual development and helps to maintain a standard of excellence that drives the interior design industry forward.

CPD for interior designers creates opportunity for personal and professional growth. In this article we'll explore the benefits of participating in CPD to interior designers, and provide an explanation of CPD requirements for BIID members. A breakdown of what we'll cover:

• The benefits of ongoing education for interior designers
• The CPD requirements for BIID members and how to track them
• The best BIID accredited UK-based interior design courses—and why you should take them

Ready to take the next step in your interior design career? Let's start learning.

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Why is Continuing Professional Development important for interior designers?

The interior design industry is constantly evolving and interior designers need to keep up. CPD keeps interior designers sharp, adaptable, and informed on important conversations happening in the design industry. Neglecting CPD is passing up an opportunity to learn and develop as an interior designer—in other words, self-sabotage.

The three biggest benefits of CPD to interior designers:

Refine your interior design skillset

You always want to be working at the top of your game, right? CPD ensures you continue to reach your potential as an interior designer and can feel proud of the level you are working at, both creatively and managerially. Plus, clients want to work with someone clued up and professional—CPD is a great way to ensure that you are always both.

Meet BIID member requirements

Last but not least, completing BIID approved CPD courses is a mandatory requirement for BIID members. Being a member of BIID opens up a wealth of opportunities and industry insights. It is said that BIID members are often preferred by high-end clients and are more frequently featured in publications.

Prove your worth

A commitment to CPD sets you apart from your competitors in the interior design space. One hundred designers might claim to be "experts" in certain topics, but how many have the credentials to back that up?

Certificates of completion for industry-standard training courses look great on your website and help prove to prospective clients that you are the real deal—display them like a badge of honour. Fellow industry professionals will be impressed by your list of educational accomplishments too, opening up opportunities for brand collaborations and partnerships.

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CPD requirements for BIID members

BIID members are required to complete and record at least 20 hours of CPD activity per membership year (1st April - 31st March). At least 10 hours should be structured CPD activities, and the rest can be unstructured.

Structured CPD activities form part of a planned programme and have clearly defined goals. On the other hand, unstructured CPD activities are more self-led and spontaneous.

Examples of unstructured CPD activities:

• Attending in-person educational events such as CPD training, seminars, courses, and conferences.
• Becoming digital educational events such as webinars, recorded talks, and e-learning courses.
• Publishing articles, manuals, or books for a professional audience.

Examples of unstructured CPD activities:

• Attending interior design industry trade shows.
• Reading interior design related books, journals, or magazines.
• Becoming an interior design mentor.
• Listening to interior design podcasts.

Exemptions to CPD requirements do apply, so don't be disheartened if you are not currently in a position to commit to CPD at this scale. See BIID website for more details.

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BIID-approved CPD courses for interior designers

We have rummaged through thousands of excellent educational resources for interior designers, to bring your our top pick of BIID-approved CPD courses for interior designers. Get your notebooks at the ready...

BIID Essential Business for Interior Designers

Type: Live workshop

Duration: 18 hours (31st January—2nd February 2024)

"Dive into the basics of building and running a successful interior design business."

The BIID Essential Business for Interior Designers (EBID) is a three-day interior design workshop tailored for emerging and early-stage interior designers. It addresses the unique challenges faced by pre-startup and early-stage interior designers and tackles business fundamentals including strategic planning, effective marketing, and more. The course is limited to a small group of 12 designers to ensure individual attention and interaction.

What you will learn:

• Interior design business 101: marketing, time and project management, setting goals.
• Client management: communication strategies, setting boundaries.
• Financial management: financial planning, bookkeeping, taxes.

Book a slot and learn more about the BIID Essential Business for Interior Designers.

Smartphone Photography for Interior Designers

Type: Live workshop

Duration: 3 hours (28th February 2024)

"The lenses are ready, but are you?"

High-quality photos are the cornerstone of an interior designer's online presence. They allow you to visually showcase your work, attract potential clients, and stand out in a crowded market. This three-hour interior design workshop invites designers to discover the exciting possibilities of using smartphone cameras to capture and showcase their work.

What you will learn:

• Basics of smartphone photography: tips and techniques.
• How to edit smartphone pictures.
• Put it into practice: practice your new skills in the showroom with advice from Jenny.

Book a slot and learn more about the Smartphone Photography for Interior Designers workshop.

BIID Member Tour of Collect Art Fair 2024

Type: Live event

Duration: 1 hour (29th February 2024)

"Discover new artists, trends, and perspectives."

Collect Art Fair offers a curation of work from emerging artists across various styles and mediums. Limited to just 10 BIID members, this event provides an insider's perspective on developments in design and craft to provide a fresh perspective on the artworks, ranging from textiles and new materials to glass and ceramics. Here, you'll discover unique textures, colour combinations, and artistic techniques that wouldn't be readily found in magazines or online.

What you will learn:

• Network with fellow industry aesthetes.
• Discover fresh perspectives on art and its applications.
• Spot emerging trends in the word of art and design.

Book a slot and learn more about the BIID Member Tour of Collect Art Fair 2024.

Applying Circular Economy to Office Furniture Projects

Type: Online seminar

Duration: 1 hour

"Foster sustainability with remanufactured furniture."

Timely and relevant, this course explores the industry's imperative shift toward a circular economy—a model of production that aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible. By adopting circular economy strategies, interior designers can minimise their environmental footprint and address industry challenges like carbon washing.

What you will learn:

• How furniture suppliers are reducing carbon emissions.
• How specifying sustainable furniture contributes to carbon-neutral design.
• How to identify true ecological suppliers.

Book a slot and learn more about Applying Circular Economy to Office Furniture Projects.

Instagram: How to Create an Algorithm Proof Content Strategy

Type: Online workshop

Duration: 1.5 hours (7th February 2024)

"Achieve consistent visibility, engagement, and growth on Instagram."

Instagram is an ever changing landscape, but don't let the algorithm get the better of you!

This workshop with social media strategist Bella Foxwell promises to equip interior designers with a practical toolkit to adapt to current Instagram trends and create future-proof content strategies.

What you will learn:

• The rules of the Instagram algorithm in 2024.
• How to align your content strategy to your sales funnel.
• How to approach scheduling of feed posts and stories.

Book a slot and learn more about Instagram: How to Create an Algorithm Proof Content Strategy.

Health and Wellbeing in Homes

Type: Online course

Duration: 2 hours

"Show how much you care for your clients through design."

People are now placing higher value on overall wellbeing, leading to an increased demand for homes that go beyond aesthetics. In this online interior design short course, you explore the gap between what you know about housing and health and how it's put into practice. This helps you understand how wellness-focused trends, like biophilic design and ergonomic furniture, can make residents healthier and happier.

What you will learn

• The importance of health and wellbeing in the interior design industry.
• Gain an insight into the major considerations for health and well being in design.
• The criteria of a healthy home and how to achieve it.

Book a slot and learn more about Health and Wellbeing in Homes.

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CPD for interior designers in a nutshell...

A commitment to CPD is integral to the professional development of an interior designer and the subsequent success of their interior design business.

In order to uphold high standards in British interior design, BIID makes CPD a membership requirement. BIID-approved CPD courses set the gold standard for professionalism, ethics, and technical competence within the industry. BIID members are required to complete at least 20 hours of BIID approved CPD courses per year.

Educational courses for interior designers can be found on a range of topics, from technical skills to business management. We encourage interior designers to participate in an array of educational activities for optimum growth.