An professional web design certification for web/ graphic designers will be passed as law by the year 2015, thanks to a bill created by a New York and Texas Senator which has been passed by the Senate and will be approved shortly by the House of Representatives.
In explaining why this bill is sure to be passed, Bruck Schlumer, the Senator from New York, says, “It was fortuitous that this bill became a rider to a bill that is sure to pass. No one, would give a damn about designers but the fact is, the internet and encouraging industry innovations such as Facebook may be the only hope for the United States in a global economy.”
Simply put, this law will require designers to complete at least 100 credits of state-certified course work at a institution of higher learning. They will also have to submit a portfolio to be reviewed by a panel of six businessmen as well as six educators that will pick the former.
What this will mean, according to Schlumer, is that beginners will be excluded. However, there will be apprentice provision levels for them, most of whom are usually recent graduates.
What this also points to is that there will specific levels and pay scales for web designers and which will clearly separate the wheat from the chaff. Schlumer also makes it clear that some people will fail to meet the standards set for certification.
So, it should come as no surprise that there was mixed reaction to this announcement as web design professionals will be treated as real professionals while there will design publishers, organizations, art schools and others who might be angry at not being able to produce work that is in compliance to the standards set by the certification process.
