Hi, everyone!
I wanted to ask if anyone here has taken an interior design course they’d recommend? I’ve completed a full interior design course already, but the mentorship part of that training wasn’t positive, and left me with some nagging imposter syndrome.
I think there could be more to learn that would help build my confidence. Spoak has been an amazing tool and creative outlet for me, but there’s still the bigger question of how to start using what I’ve learned and what step I should take next, career wise. I haven’t any experience with a lot of tools designers use (sketch up, auto cad, etc) so perhaps that’s something I should look into?
I’d love to be a design assistant and work more behind the scenes on projects, but opportunities to do that can be difficult to pursue without a formal degree. Maybe it’s a lack of confidence and I should keep trying with what I know? I’m not against going to college if it’s necessary, but I’d love to hear what others have done first! Or any training and courses outside of college anyone has taken that are worth it.
Thank you!
Following as I’m also looking at doing a cert course! Which course did you take?
I took the Interior Design Course by the New York Institute of Art & Design (https://www.nyiad.edu). It’s an online course and you do all the projects and study at home. It was an amazing starting point for me as I’d had zero experience with design before I started! I will say, it doesn’t cover some harder skills like auto cad, etc, but it had a lot of great information on interior design as a whole. They give you the option to pay extra to take the RIDQC exam for an additional certification in residential design, which I decided to do. 
Hope that’s helpful!
Based on the negative mentoring, would you take the course again if you knew or choose another option?
I think today I would choose another course because I’ve come to value the mentorship part of learning, and my experience with that was pretty negative. I appreciated the course in that I learned a lot about design overall but I believe you could gain the same knowledge with lots of other courses out there. It might have changed now, but when I was a student the mentor grading your work you couldn’t contact, so it was hard to build trust and understand what her comments meant. (I’d be able to email a different mentor, which was okay, but it felt a little disconnected.) She’d leave me a bad grade and an audio message that I had to fix it, but it was difficult to understand how since the course lesson and her grading weren’t always the same. 
I was very open to being critiqued and getting advice, I just couldn’t learn when I wasn’t being told how to improve-just that I had to reach a better grade to move forward. I’ve been considering the Interior Design Institute(https://www.theinteriordesigninstitute.com), but haven’t quite settled on that, yet! I’ve heard good things though. Still looking at my options for now. 
Thank you, I know you were looking for answers and I just asked more questions 
I either need to ask allllll the questions to learn stuff or just pick it up super easy, no in betweens, so it is very valuable feedback.
You’re welcome! I don’t mind at all, I relate to this so much as I normally work alone on stuff unless I get really stuck. 
I’m more than happy to share if it helps anyone else as they’re sorting through all the information and options out there! It’s a lot sometimes to figure out and I personally find it useful to hear someone else’s experience. Wish you the best as you keep looking into it!
Carina Miranda thats in the spoak community is teaching a virtual sketch up class for a very affordable price starting May 8! @carinamiranda Sounds like it could also be a great virtual group to connect with and build relationships with as well!
Last year I did a lot of research on continuing education programs offered at colleges and universities. I can upload my list. I similarly wanted mentorship and feedback and enjoy learning with others. I’m in Chicago and found a community college an hour away that provides a certificate program so I’m going through that in person. I already feel like I’ve learned so much in one semester. I think certificate programs are structured better because they know more people are trying to find work after versus someone doing it as a hobby.
Would love if you could share your research list @deandracadet 
I am currently enrolled in an online certificate program at Parsons School of Design. The instructors are excellent and dedicated to helping students improve.
I was looking at them but wasn’t sure given the high price tag and the online info made it seem like it was more focused on drafting + noted that you need to take other electives before some of the courses but I’d love to hear more about your take on it!
@deandracadet Thank you so much for sharing! I really appreciate hearing what others have done and I’m so glad you found a program that’s working for you and has what you were looking for. I’m definitely going to look into what’s in my area, in case there’s anything similar I could try, maybe! Carina Miranda’s sketch up class looks really good, as well!
@mariebenjamin That sounds like a great option! Thanks for sharing - I love hearing it’s an online program, as that suits my situation the best currently, and hearing the instructors are excellent is good to know!
@annadavidson I have thought about taking courses from a school, but I always remember how many designers are self-made. I think a lot of it can be taught by yourself and classes like sketch up from others online are helpful. A lot of it Is practice and being confident. Which the practice helps with the self confidence.I try to talk to everyone and learn a little bit from each person I run into in life. Where are you located?
I agree that the mandatory courses emphasize drafting, which is a skill I aimed to enhance. Only two courses, commercial and residential interior design, require prerequisites. These classes integrate the knowledge from the four other required courses and two electives. It’s advisable to finish the two electives before taking the commercial and residential design courses. Currently, I’m taking my third course and am extremely pleased with my choice.
@madisonswenton Apologies for my late reply! Thank you so much for weighing in-I agree it’s helpful to look to designers and decorators who’ve been very successful and their unique paths to getting there. It’s a good reminder it’s possible and helps me stay inspired. I think looking at courses/connecting with others can boost motivation to keep practicing, too! I am located in the Charlotte, NC area. 
Here is my link, I realized there’s only like 5 programs on this list! But maybe folks can add other programs they recommend and this can be a resource?