The ALA educational program offers members the opportunity to earn advanced lighting designations. The programs available include:
Lighting Associate (LA)
Lighting Specialist (LS)
Certificate Specialist
Certified Lighting Manufacturers' Representative (CLMR)
Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC®)
LIGHTING ASSOCIATE
Any ALA member is eligible to become an LA by completing the first 12 of the ALA's 17 online technical lighting courses:
1. Chandeliers and Pendants: Selling Decorative Lighting in the Showroom
2. Light Sources: The Basics for the Lighting Salesperson
3. Surface Mounted Fixtures: Selling Decorative Lighting in the Showroom
4. Ceiling Fans: Add Style and Efficiency
5. Track Lighting: Understanding the Basics
6. Recessed Downlighting: Basic Principles for Home Design
7. Dimming Controls: A Real Turn-On in the Home
8. Energy Wise Lighting: Lighting for a Beautiful and Functional Home
9. Outdoor Lighting: Landscape Lighting Design for the Home
10. Lighting the Kitchen: The Home's Central Gathering Spot
11. Lighting the Bath: Adding Elegance to the Bath
12. Lighting Fundamentals for the Showroom Salesperson
13. Lighting the Dining Room
14. Low-Voltage Lighting
15. Working with Builders
16. Control Systems
17. Living Room Lighting
To take the courses, members should log onto www.alaeducation.com and enter a Login Name and Password.
If you are a new student, contact Elizabeth Ware for your assigned Login Name and Password at 800-605-4448, ext. 21, or eware@americanlightingassoc.com.
LIGHTING SPECIALIST
To receive the LS designation, ALA members must purchase and review the Residential Lighting Training Manual and pass a final exam.
Members may choose to do self-study at their own pace, or they may attend a Four-Day Residential Lighting Training course offered at least once each year.
The 45-unit, 780-page manual is the only training manual that encompasses every aspect of the residential lighting industry, including industry trends, technology and technical developments.
The LS final exam may be taken online. A score of at least 80% is needed on the Final Examination of the training manual to become an ALA Lighting Specialist.
Training manuals may be ordered online or by contacting Nicole Juneau at 800-605-4448, ext. 26, or njuneau@americanlightingassoc.com.
Check for upcoming Four-Day Training Seminars here.
CERTIFICATE SPECIALIST
This new ALA program allows members who have already earned their LS designation to gain further specialization in different areas of lighting, such as kitchen and bath lighting and track and recessed lighting.
The program is tailored to LSs who are not ready to pursue the top ALA designation of Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC) but would like additional training.
The first hard-copy monograph, Advanced Kitchen and Bath Lighting, will be available April 2008, with Advanced Track and Recessed Lighting becoming available in the summer.
Each hard-copy monograph includes an exam which must be passed before a member earns the right to be called an ALA Kitchen and Bath Lighting Specialist or ALA Track and Recessed Lighting Specialist.
Additional specialization topics will be introduced over time.
To order a certificate specialist monograph, contact Nicole Juneau at 800-605-4448, ext. 26, or njuneau@americanlightingassoc.com.
CERTIFIED LIGHTING MANUFACTURERS' REPRESENTATIVE (CLMR)
The CLMR accreditation program is designed to recognize the important role Manufacturers' Representatives play in the lighting industry, as well as provide training for those new to the industry.
Download a complete checklist of CLMR requirements.
The three CLMR requirements are:
1. Satisfy ALA membership and industry experience requirements
To qualify for the CLMR, a manufacturers' representative must be gainfully employed as a rep for at least 24 months, must be a member of the ALA and must represent at least one manufacturer that is a member of the ALA in good standing.
2. Complete required number of training courses
Reps must earn a specified number of training credits in both sales and management and lighting knowledge courses. See checklist for more information.
3. Return application with three letters of recommendation
The application should be returned to ALA along with one letter of recommendation each from an ALA manufacturer member, an ALA showroom member and an ALA manufacturers' representative member in good standing with the association.
Note: Applicants may submit documentation to receive credit for training completed between 2002 and 2007 up to 80 percent of total credits required for the CLMR. This "grandfather" opportunity is available through Dec. 31, 2008.
For more information, or to request an application form, contact Nicole Juneau at 800-605-4448, ext. 26, or njuneau@americanlightingassoc.com.
CERTIFIED LIGHTING CONSULTANT (CLC®)
Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC) is the highest designation offered by the ALA.
The four CLC requirements are:
1. Become an ALA Lighting Specialist
To receive the LS designation, ALA members must purchase and review the Residential Lighting Training Manual and pass a final exam. A score of at least 80% is needed on the Final Examination of the training manual to become an ALA Lighting Specialist.
2. Complete required hours of Certification Board-approved education courses
Hours required are determined by years of experience in the lighting industry:
- Less than 5 years experience - 40 hours of CLC credits over a 3 year period
- 5 to 7 years experience - 25 hours of CLC credits over a 3 year period
- 7 to 9 years experience - 18 hours of CLC credits over a 3 year period
- 10 years experience - no course hours required
Upon application for certification, all required hours of training must have been completed/passed within a three year period. It is up to each individual applicant to keep track of his/her hours by obtaining some type of documentation.
CLC Approved Courses consist of the following:
- In-house technical lighting training presented by an acceptable third party outside of the company. This third party should be industry-related, i.e. manufacturer, manufacturers' representative, designer, etc. A limit of 10 hours will apply toward certification.
- ALA-sponsored courses on technical lighting, i.e. Area Seminars, Personalized Training Programs and January/July Market Seminars.
- ALA DVD Study Guide Exams, scoring at least an 80%. Each one is worth one hour of credit.
- Pre-approved industry-related courses conducted by member lighting manufacturers.
- ALA Annual Conference CLC seminars (technical lighting topics only).
- College courses related to lighting design. (These must be approved by the Certification Board.)
Note: No more than 50% of the hours may come from any one manufacturer (i.e. 20 hours of the total 40 required) and no more than 20% from any one product category (i.e. 8 of total 40 hours).
3. Complete the CLC application form and order the CLC blueprint exam
Contact Nicole Juneau at 800-605-4448, ext. 26, or njuneau@americanlightingassoc.com for a CLC Application. Return the application with a payment of $190 to receive the final blueprint exam and other requirements.
4. Complete and pass the CLC blueprint exam
Completed blueprint exams must be returned to the ALA within 6 months of the date they are received by the member. Members will be notified with the results of their exam.
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