For AIA members, your annual requirement is to complete 18 hours of continuing education each calendar year, and 12 of those hours must be in HSW topics. These hours must be shown on your AIA transcript which can be accessed at AIA.org log in.
Don’t forget to self-report learning gained from providers other than an AIA Education Provider. Do that through your AIA member record at AIA.org log in. Sexual harassment prevention training can be self-reported, for example.
Associate AIA members are encouraged to meet this annual requirement, but it is not mandatory.
Emeritus AIA members are required to complete one hour of learning each year.
New AIA members do not need to meet the continuing education requirement until their first full year of membership but are encouraged to start participating now.
Continuing Education Credit Resources for Illinois License Renewal
Check out the AIA Chicago events calendar for live learning. Online learning is available from many providers including:
- AIAU
- AIA Contract Documents
- AIA Trust
- NCARB Continuum Education (for NCARB certificate holders and licensure candidates)
- Whole Building Design Guide
- Great Lakes ADA Center Training (AccessibilityOnline series)
- Smart Energy Design Assistance Center
- International Masonry Institute
- WoodWorks
- American Institute of Steel Construction
- Metal Construction Association
- National Glass Association
- aecKnowledge
- Architect magazine
- Architectural Record CE Center
- BDCUniversity
- CE | STRONG (The Architects Newspaper)
- Design Times, quarterly newsletter of IDFPR: read and take quiz to earn .25 of a CE hour
- Hanley Wood University
- The Continuing Architect
NEW State of Illinois Requirement Regarding High Winds and Natural Disasters
Beginning in 2024, the total continuing education hours under the Health, Safety, and Welfare (HSW) category shall include a minimum of one hour of programs, courses, or activities related to design practices that reflect improved understanding of high winds or natural disasters.
Available Courses:
- Whole Building Design Guide, a federal resource for the design of structure, includes a large number of free CE courses, including Seismic Design Basics | WBDG – Whole Building Design Guide
- NCARB Continuum Education (for NCARB certificate holders and licensure candidates):
- Wind Forces (five courses)
- Seismic Mitigation (six courses)
- Flood Damage (one course)
- Widfire Damage (one course)
- Architectural Record magazine “Designing for High Winds”
Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
Sexual harassment prevention training* is available from these Illinois-approved providers:**
- North American Learning Institute
- AYPO Compliance
- Illinois Required Training Solutions
- National OSHA Foundation
- Traliant
- Everfi
- Kantola
- Emtrain
- Ethena
- i2i Workplace
*As of July 1, 2022, all Chicago employers must provide the following training annually:
- One hour of sexual harassment prevention for all employees (two hours for supervisors/managers)
- One hour of bystander training for all employees
From the Illinois Department of Human Rights:
- Illinois employers are required to train employees on sexual harassment prevention annually. Employers must either develop their own training program that equals or exceeds the minimum standards outlined in Section 2-109(B) of the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA), or they may use the model training provided the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
- Individuals with a professional license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) must complete a one-hour course in Sexual Harassment Prevention Training each renewal period, with training from an Illinois-approved provider. (Architect renewal takes place every two years in even-numbered years.)
See the Commission on Human Relations for full details.
**List may not be exhaustive. Please refer to the Commission on Human Relations to ensure all requirements are being met.
NOTE: Complying with the City of Chicago’s requirements ensures compliance with the State’s requirements. Sexual harassment prevention training can be self-reported to AIA for continuing education credit.
