More about certification
What is certification?
When it comes to the decorative painting and plastering industry, there are varying types of certification. We offer certification for faux finishing courses, faux painting classes, muraling classes & trompe l oeil instruction programs.
One type of certification is given through a manufacturer of decorative painting products. This type of certifiying program focuses on the student learning about specific products and their nomenclature.
This is valuable for a decorative painter and plasterer who utilizes these products in their business; it is also helps the manufacturer insure the "proper" installation procedures are being used for their products. This type of certification requires no accreditation of the school/manufacturer by a government or non-profit accrediting body, and places no standards on the instructors or their curriculum.
The School of Applied Arts does not offer this type of certification but we do encourage it.
Another type of certification is given through a school/ instructor that teaches non-product specific courses for their students. When finished, the student receives a certificate of completion. This type of certification also requires no accreditation of the school/instructor by a government or non-profit accrediting body and places no standards on the instructors or their curriculum.
We offer courses from the Principles of Applied Arts curriculum, which was designed to show not only the student but also the industry the intricate nature of our craft. By completing the individual levels of it you are proving your status as a decorative painter to your self and others.
The School of Applied Arts offers this type of certification.
Is certification good for your career?
Both of these types of certification can act as proof of accomplishment for the practitioner to use when discussing his/her qualifications to a potential client.
Is this certification like that of a college?
The federal government or local education boards do not currently recognize any non-profit accrediting body for the decorative painting and plastering industry. The standard for true accreditation and certification is that schools offering a curriculum for a particular subject must seek recognition from an accrediting body and their local education board. This provides a protocol for industry leaders and the education boards to evaluate proposed curriculums and create standards for instructors teaching them. The School of Applied Arts is diligently working in partnership with the Professional Decorative Painters Association to achieve these types of standards for our industry and achieve legitimate accreditation for schools and certification for students. Achieving this goal will allow students to acquire a recognized degree in decorative painting/plastering.