HACKETTSTOWN, NJ -- The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) University at theKitchen & Bath Industry Show(KBIS®) 2014 promises to deliver a wealth of learning opportunities that will enable attendees to sharpen their skills, broaden their outlooks and advance their careers. More than 100 programs over four days in early February will be presented.  For the first time ever, KBIS will co-locate with the International Builders' Show, with both events staged at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Feb. 4 to 6, under the banner of Design and Construction Week in that city.

Developed by the National Kitchen & Bath Association, NKBA University will provide professional-development sessions on three different fronts -- Voices from the Industry (VFTI), NKBA Courses and featured speakers. Additionally -- in another first for KBIS -- a majority of these sessions will offer attendees Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which are customarily available only through NKBA courses.

"Attendees should ask themselves what they want to achieve in terms of learning and professional development by attending KBIS 2014," said Nancy Barnes, Director of Learning at

NKBA. "Of course, they will travel to Las Vegas next February to see the newest products, learn about trends and connect with their peers. But KBIS is also the occasion to expand in new directions and see what career options are yet available. The more the industry develops its professional skills, the more it enhances its future marketability."

Moreover, NKBA is expanding the number of "Voices from the Industry" sessions in Las Vegas to 85 -- up from 60 in 2013 in New Orleans -- with 54 of these peer-training sessions offering CEUs. These hour-long programs enable attendees to learn from their colleagues across a wide variety of current topics and trends in four different conference tracks, or "Learning Paths" -- Design and Inspiration, Focus on the Customer, Business Management and Sales and Marketing.  Among the highlights are the following sessions, all offering 0.1 CEUs:

  • Showrooms of the Future & The New Consumer, with Kirk Heiner;
  • How to Use HOUZZ to Bring Profitable Projects, with Denise Butchko and Richie DeMarco;
  • Inspiration 4: Insight into Design & Consumer Buying Habits, with Michael Hetherman;
  • Kitchen & Bath Lighting Trends, with Jeffrey R. Dross;
  • You Are Not Your Job! How to Create Sustainable Work/Life Balance, with Liesbet Trappenburg.

To learn more about this year's educational program, visit: http://www.kbis.com/show/show-schedule