In its role as the leading provider of continuing education for the sign industry, ISA’s International Sign Academy is expanding its Professional Development Unit (PDU) program. The Registered Provider Program allows education providers—including government agencies, educational institutions, sign companies, sign suppliers, and distributors, as well as other sign industry professionals—to register existing programs with ISA and provide PDUs to attendees.
The PDUs signify that a sign professional has attained essential knowledge in a specific area of the sign industry. Participating companies can use the PDU program to train their employees, as well as earn organization-level Excellence in Education awards, which can be a vital marketing tool. PDUs are “points” or “credits” earned for participation in educational programs; each ISA educational course offers PDUs based on the amount of time invested and the level of interaction required.
“We believe that sign professionals who are trained in the most current aspects of the industry are an asset not only to their individual companies, but also to the industry as a whole,” said Lori Anderson, ISA president and CEO. “Expanding the reach of the International Sign Academy through its Registered Provider Program will benefit the professionalism of the sign industry immeasurably.”
Education providers that offer International Sign Academy PDU credits as part of training must apply for the Registered Provider Program; application guidelines are available at www.signs.org/registeredprovider.
Approved programs must include at least one hour of educational information and the educational portion cannot promote a company’s products or services. Providers who participate in the Registered Provider Program may advertise programs on the ISA Web site and publicize the programs as “Registered with the International Sign Academy.”
“The International Sign Academy’s Registered Provider Program will ensure that companies that engage registered educational providers can offer training that meets the high standards of the International Sign Academy,” said Tracey Cook, ISA’s director of Education and Communications. “In addition, education providers that become International Sign Academy Registered Providers will be able to offer these valuable PDUs to those who successfully complete their programs.”
