Education Center

InVigorateU 

InVigorateU is an intensive educational event for landscape architects, growers, retailers, irrigation contractors, turf professionals, and now landscape foremen. This event is geared toward those looking not only for continuing education credits, but also for practical and productive learning in a “let’s get to work” setting. We host this event annually in Bloomington-Normal, IL.  Learn More about InVigorateU.

Irrigation Contractors

Illinois law requires every irrigation contractor to have at least one employee on staff that has successfully completed the initial 16-hour certification course.  As long as that employee remains with your company, the 16-hour course does not need to be retaken.  If that employee leaves your company, you have to have another employee complete the 16-hour training certification.

Each subsequent year following completion of the 16-hour initial training, a 4-hour refresher course must be completed.  If you do not complete this 4-hour refresher course annually and file the appropriate paperwork with the Illinois Department of Public Health, you are at risk of losing your license and registration to do irrigation work in Illinois.

Illinois Green Industry Association offers FOUR (4) IDPH-approved courses in January at the InVigorateU event in Bloomington-Normal, IL. Each of our four 4-hour courses has been approved by IDPH to count for your mandatory annual refresher course.

Plus, if your business still needs the initial 16-hour course to meet the Illinois Plumbing Code, IDPH has approved taking all of the 4-hour courses combined to serve as your mandatory initial 16-hour course.

We will provide you with a certificate of completion at InVigorateU.  You are required to complete the appropriate paperwork and send that certificate to the IDPH.  More information on the requirements can be found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/plumbing

Illinois Department of Public Health
Environmental Health Division
Illinois Plumbing Program
525 W. Jefferson St.; 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62761
Phone: 217-524-0791
Fax:  217-524-5868
[email protected] 

Landscape Architects

Illinois Landscape Architecture Act of 1989 (225 ILCS 315/) - Click Here
Illinois Landscape Architecture Act - JCAR Administrative Code - Click Here
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) - Landscape Architect License Lookup

IMPORTANT: Continuing Education Requirements - Section 1275.65

Are you in compliance?

• You must complete 24 credit hours of CE relevant to landscape architecture every two years.

• One CE hour = a minimum of 50 minutes of participation

• Credits may be issued in 1/2 hour increments

• Record keeping is important! It is possible that you could be audited by IDFPR. You MUST keep a file with record of your participation in these CE activities for four (4) years. This is also critical if you ever forget to renew your license and have to prove that you are in good standing with the state in order to be reinstated. Your log should include the name and address of the CE provider, the number of hours attended in each program, the date and place of the program, and a certificate of attendance. 

• IDFPR will not pre-approve or pre-authorize your individual CE activities. It is up to you to use your professional judgement and the guidelines outlined below. You should also work seek continuing education opportunities from organizations that partner closely with IDFPR, as they are sometimes able to gain approved status of a course prior to hosting an event. Some activities, unstructured in particular, will never be pre-approved, but that should not preclude you from including them as part of your ongoing development plan, as you deem appropriate (and as outlined in the guidelines below). 

Continuing Education Activities

A minimum of 20 CE hours shall be structured educational activities. Remaining hours may be fulfilled with any combination of structured educational activities and unstructured activities.

Applicants are encouraged to emphasize health, safety and welfare (HSW) subjects as outlined in The Practice of Landscape Architecture, A Study of the Activities and Knowledge Areas for the Licensed Landscape Architect, published by CLARB and also known as the CLARB "Task Analysis".

Examples of Structured Educational Activities (minimum of 20 hours)

• CLARB and American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) endorsed seminars.
• Seminars endorsed by professional organizations related to landscape architecture.
• Courses offered by a college or university related to landscape architecture.
• Self-study courses presented by correspondence, internet, television, video or audio, ending with an examination or other verification process. 

Examples of Unstructured Credit Hours (maximum of 4 hours) 

• Teaching or instructing a course or seminar related to landscape architecture for the first time only. Two hours of CE will be earned for every hour of teaching or instructing. 
• Authoring papers or articles related to landscape architecture that appear in nationally circulated publications, journals or trade magazines or presented to a university, professional society or organization. Four hours of CE will be earned per paper or presentation, but not both.
• Active participation on a committee or holding an office in a professional or technical society related to landscape architecture. Two hours of CE will be awarded per committee membership or office held.

Illinois Department of Financial and Profesional Regulation
320 West Washington St, 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62786
Professional Licensing: 800-560-6420
Email Questions to IDFPR