Commercial and residential interior design studios, department stores, furniture
stores, specialty design firms such as kitchen and bath and other related design
businesses are fields which provide employment opportunities. Students earning a
Professional Diploma will have a broader range of career options, including architectural
and commercial design firms. As a result of the internship course required in the
third year, students obtain experience in the design field. This internship provides
a stepping stone for career advancement.
What does an interior designer do?
The human environment and your experience of life is greatly influenced by the design
of spaces in which you live and work. Good design is more than a question of good
taste and appearance.
Interior designers help us create and define our living, working, and playing environments.
They improve our quality of life by designing spaces that not only look good, but
help people be more productive, healthy, efficient and safe. They design homes,
offices, schools, hospitals, stores, museums and more.
Where would I work?
A professional diploma qualifies you for the broadest range of design jobs. Entry-level
job opportunities exist at commercial and residential interior design studios, furniture
stores, specialty design shops, and architectural firms. After gaining experience
in the field, you also have the option to start a business of your own. Graduates
of the program often choose to specialize in either residential design, which includes
houses, apartments, and condominiums, or they can specialize in commercial design,
which includes offices, restaurants, hotels, health-related facilities, retail stores,
schools, museums, theaters and transportation facilities.
Other specialties include lighting design, color consultation, illustration, space
planning, facility management and historic preservation. In any case designers are
frequently away from their offices meeting with clients, contractors, and suppliers
or they are supervising at a construction site.
How much can I expect to earn?
Earning potential in the design field varies with experience, work location, and
area of specialization. Interior designers work for a professional fee based on
an hourly rate, on commission, or monthly salary. Starting salaries vary widely.
As a rule, large cities offer more opportunities and higher salaries or fees.