The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) have forged an agreement that makes it easier for individuals who hold builder and remodeler professional designations to take advantage of continuing education opportunities from both groups.

Industry professionals who successfully complete courses required for either NAHB or NKBA designations can earn continuing education hours from either syllabus. The number of credit hours granted is equal to the length of the class.

Holders of the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS), Certified Graduate Builder (CGB), Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), Certified Green Professional[tm] (CGP) and other NAHB designations can take courses for NKBA's Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD), Certified Bath Designer (CBD) and other NKBA designations - and vice versa - to fulfill their respective continuing education requirements. 

"Expanding these opportunities will encourage even more home builders, professional remodelers and kitchen designers to take advantage of the excellent training and education offered by both associations," said NAHB Education Committee Chairman Erik Anderson, CAPS, CGR, GMB, of Anderson-Moore Builders Inc. in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"The agreement provides building and design professionals a broader range of education options when trying to find courses to maintain their designations - and may spur NAHB and NKBA designees to earn designations from both associations," said NKBA director of learning Nancy Barnes.

NAHB courses cover diverse topics such as aging-in-place remodeling, business management, green building and project management, while NKBA offers a similarly wide range of classes for kitchen and bath professionals.

This news comes on the heels of January's announcement that the NAHB International Builders' Show (IBS) and the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) will co-locate in February 2014 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"With this agreement, NAHB and NKBA members attending these shows can take advantage of both associations' extensive education offerings - and now, they can do so at less-expensive member rates, no matter which association they belong to," Anderson said.

"This agreement is a win-win for NAHB and NKBA professional designation holders and, ultimately, for the consumers they serve because members of both associations will have access to even more high-quality education opportunities," he added.