In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Representatives Association (NEMRA) Lighting Division have unveiled a stepped education curriculum designed to standardize and elevate training across the lighting industry.

I recently spoke with Brienne Willcock, Director of Education and Standards at IES, and Jeffrey Bristol, Division Vice President of Lighting at NEMRA, about this initiative that promises to reshape how agents and manufacturers grow their knowledge and skills.

Building on NEMRA’s Three Pillars

NEMRA Lighting, founded just nine months ago, is guided by three pillars: advocacy, networking, and education. According to Bristol, this curriculum represents one of the organization’s most ambitious educational initiatives yet.

“Too often, training existed in silos, leaving agencies and manufacturers without a consistent framework,” Bristol explained. “This program gives members access to a curated, comprehensive set of trainings that build proficiency at every stage of their careers.”

Leveraging IES Expertise

Willcock emphasized that IES’s role was not to reinvent the wheel but to curate and adapt existing resources for this specific audience. With more than 400 courses already available, IES was well-positioned to structure a progression that meets the needs of lighting agents, sales staff, and specifiers.

“What excites me is that this effort provides consistency,” Willcock noted. “Sales agents come from diverse backgrounds, and now they’ll have a repeatable curriculum that builds skills step by step.”

Four Levels of Learning

The program is structured into four progressive levels, each culminating in a certificate of completion:

• Level 1: Lighting Trained – Aimed at newcomers, covering fundamentals such as terminology, photometrics, and basic applications.

• Level 2: Lighting Educated – Focused on applications, distribution, contractor engagement, and introductory controls.

• Level 3: Lighting Specialized – Prepares learners to work with specifiers, engineers, and architects, diving into bidding, value engineering, and the full project cycle.

• Level 4: Lighting Professional – Emphasizes consultative selling and design collaboration, including aesthetics, layouts, and advanced controls.

Altogether, the curriculum spans nearly 37 hours of content, blending IES resources with new contributions from NEMRA and its partners.

Cost and Access

For NEMRA Lighting members, Levels 1 and 2 are free of charge. Levels 3 and 4 require IES membership, unlocking not only advanced coursework but also broader access to IES’s extensive education portfolio.

“Relative to the value, it’s a very inexpensive path for professionals who want to deepen their skills,” Bristol said.

A Living Curriculum

Both Willcock and Bristol emphasized that this is a living, evolving program. As new webinars, partner content, or industry needs arise, the curriculum will adapt to stay relevant.

“We’ve already seen partners eager to add modules on topics like emergency lighting and network controls,” Bristol added. “The opportunities for growth are endless.”

Registration

Interested professionals can register through the NEMRA Lighting portal, which links directly to the IES platform hosting the content.

“This collaboration demonstrates the best of what industry organizations can achieve when they work together,” Willcock said. “It’s a model for future partnerships and a win for agents, manufacturers, and the lighting community at large.”