RGD Certified!
On April 4th I acquired my RGD designation. Since we attended DesignThinkers TO 2018, I’ve wanted to become an RGD. The sense of community and the excitement of being surrounded by design-loving peers was one of the most thrilling experiences of my career. For almost 5 years I’d start to fill out the application, second guess myself, and procrastinate. Finally, after giving birth to my daughter this past year, I decided that everything else I’ve been afraid to do may also bring me great joy. So I decided “done is better than perfect” and I just did it.
The entire process turned out to be delightful. The portfolio/case study presentation, accessibility and ethics study sprints, and finally the test — while challenging, was also very fulfilling.
To be the Island’s only Registered Graphic Designer, obviously brings me a lot of pride. But I don’t want it to be that way for long. If you’ve ever considered becoming an RGD, send me a message! I’d love to chat about the process and ease some of your worries so we can see a strong PEI presence in their directory.
But Ashe, what the heck is RGD?
A few folks have reached out to ask me what RGD is and some of my design peers didn’t even know it existed. So, I thought I’d do a wee post about it!
RGD stands for Registered Graphic Designers, which is a professional association for graphic designers in Canada. The RGD represents over 4,100 members across Canada and internationally, and serves as the industry's leading authority on graphic design practice and education. The RGD was created by an Act of the Ontario Legislature (Bill Pr 56) and is the only graphic design association in North America to have this type of legislation.
As a Registered Graphic Designer (RGD), and the only one living and working on Prince Edward Island, I'm proud to have earned this professional certification. It means that I've met rigorous education and experience requirements, and have passed a comprehensive certification exam that tests my knowledge and skills in various areas of graphic design — business, ethics, accessibility, and design research and principles.
Being an RGD also means that I'm part of a growing community of passionate professionals who are dedicated to advancing the field of graphic design in Canada . This provides me with access to some fantastic resources for professional development like education opportunities, exciting networking events, and conferences like DesignThinkers, that help me stay at the forefront of my profession and deliver the best possible service to my clients.
Being an RGD-certified designer represents a commitment to professionalism, excellence, ethical conduct, building relationships, and providing great service. I am dedicated to life-long learning and this is just one more step to becoming a better designer than I was yesterday. 💚