Education is an ongoing process that doesn’t stop when we complete our “formal” years of high school or college – that’s really when much of our professional education just begins. Our society values the skilled, the knowledgeable, the expert. For this reason, education is the key to many opportunities, both personally and professionally.

During the past several years, the Door and Hardware Institute has been working continuously to achieve an ongoing goal: developing within the construction industry a greater value for the knowledge and expertise of DHI members. The professionals with whom we deal on a daily basis, such as architects, value continuing education. Accordingly, DHI has introduced a voluntary program for the consultant members of our industry to be recognized more readily and to attest to the effort it takes to acquire and maintain AHC or CDC certification – the Seal Program. An easily identifiable seal will be licensed by DHI for use by its consultants. This seal will become a symbol of the consultant’s high aptitude and experience and will inform the building industry of the value of a consultant.

A key component of the Seal Program is the requirement of the AHC or CDC to maintain his or her knowledge through education and adhere to continuing education requirements and business practices. These educational requirements exist to assure the construction industry that those using the seal/stamp are keeping up-to-date on technical and code developments.

As part of DHI’s advocacy efforts, DHI will continue to promote all consultants, whether they participate in the Seal Program or not, since this is a voluntary program. However, many of our consultant members are already visualizing the marketing capabilities of this new program, and more than 400 consultants have signed up in the first 90 days since its introduction to the industry.

This issue of the magazine is dedicated to the topic of codes, an area that requires a great deal of continuing education. As a matter of fact, each of the four continuing professional development events (sponsored by the DHI Education Foundation) which are taking place this Summer and Fall dedicate one afternoon to codes. It’s a topic that requires an ongoing educational attitude to be successful. Those who embrace the area of codes are considered the experts in our industry.

I recently learned how valuable our education efforts on the topic of codes and life safety have been when I had the pleasure of taking part in a security industry coalition. The coalition was comprised of associations such as DHI, all involved in the access control marketplace. Representatives from the participating organizations (including myself and DHI President Daniel J. Heinz, AHC) recently met at the ISC West meeting in Las Vegas. At the beginning of the meeting, we were asked to provide information on our industry, its members and their skills. As the last organization to comment, it became apparent to us that the main difference between DHI and the other organizations relating to the security industry is our expertise in the fire safety, life safety and fire code areas. The members of the other organizations are skilled in the security area but are not as familiar with life safety as members of the door and hardware industry. Individuals from other organizations acknowledge that life safety is an important component of the construction process and that DHI experts are in great need.

I hope you will continue to educate yourselves about various codes, life safety, security issues, the door and hardware industry in general, and other facets of your professional and personal life that interest you. Enjoy this issue of the magazine – as you read, you will realize its potential to help you become an expert in the door and hardware industry.

Adult education is teaching something to adults. It is sometimes referred to as continuing education and many times happens in the workplace. Many businesses require it if you want to make more money and assume more responsibility in your career.

Here is a common scenario that may even be happening to you or has happened to you in the past.

You have a high school education and could not afford to go to college. You start with your company as an entry level person, let’s say a delivery person. You work hard and do a good job and are promoted inside to a warehouse worker. You show up early, stay late and over time you become the warehouse manager. So far you have invested only time into your career. You have no student loans to repay and your adult education to this point is on the job training.

As you set in meeting with other managers you begin to dream about getting out of the warehouse and into the office. The only problem is to become a office manager or branch manager for your company they require a bachelor of science degree in business. There is an opportunity here however.

Your company offers continuing education by agreeing to pay 50% of the tuition cost with an up to 100% reimbursement upon graduation. You enroll at a local state university that offers evening and weekend classes to people just like you. You buckle down and do the impossible, graduating with a B.S. in Business Administration in a few short years.

Gradually you work your way into an inside managers position and eventually you running the most profitable branch in your company, a true success story. It was all made possible by your work ethic, your brains, and your companies commitment to adult education and promoting from within.

Stories like this happen all of the time. Getting more education or even education in a whole new field is easier now then ever. Colleges recognize a huge market in workers who need more education. The internet offers a never ending supply of college courses right in the comfort of your own home.

One other market is people who just want to learn about something that does not even relate to work and they take a college course at their local community college to do it. You are never to old to learn something.

Regardless of the reasons adult education is within the reach of almost everyone. Putting together a plan and then going for it is a matter of personal choice and motivation.

Future teachers may opt to specialize in certain subjects, such as physical sciences; English, literature, composition, or creative writing; biological sciences; business education; American history, world history, or regional history; management and administration; and many others.

General Education programs satisfy practice and career goals for interdisciplinary subjects, with studies in humanities and social and behavioral sciences. Numerous two-year vocational, trade, and community college and four-year college and university general Education Schools provide programs that offer various diploma, certificate, and degree programs of study in general education.

Students in four-year Education Schools can obtain Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) degrees in education, as well as education doctorate (EdD, PhD) degrees and combined degrees.

Diplomas and certificates from Education Schools may satisfy requirements for pre-school, assistant, vocational, and continuing education teacher positions. BA and BS degrees in education are generally required of classroom teachers, however most classroom teachers today have MS degrees. PhD degrees, and sometimes MA degrees, will qualify professionals for higher education (college and university professorships) and corporate education program positions.

MS degrees in education develop advanced skills to improve teaching abilities. Specializations in master studies focus on encouraging educators to test their skills in classroom and school settings. Courses are designed to increase professional depth and effectiveness in traditional settings, corporate settings, and various educational programs. Those who have graduated from Education School with a Master’s degree should feel prepared to meet many challenges in education, having studied learning theory, instructional and curriculum design, and research and instructional technology.

PhD programs present studies designed for experienced professional educators wishing to expand their skills as teachers, researchers, and consultants. They provide opportunities for education students to focus on personal areas of interest and to develop advanced skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and research that will facilitate professional growth and effectiveness in the classroom. PhD degrees allow for pursuit of positions as superintendents, education coordinators, special education directors, principals, professors, deans, and more.