natstar said:
Thats fine. I'm just suggetion other pathways if you dont end up getting what you want.
As for my change in choice. It was just a change in mind really. Ive alway been good at art and design, as well as being interested in things like advertising. I got into all the private colleges I applied for, but it just came down to choosing what I thought would lead to a better career with more job opportunities. I utilised graphic design in my final year major marketing project, so the 2 disciplines kinda interact
same.. =] i'm always doodling in photoshop after i finish scanning my drawings (and yes i know it will take more then doodles to get me though this course). although i must say, the entire 'competitiveness' in the field of design worries me quite a bit... it was kind of daunting reading things on the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) website:
Bad news
The bad news is, that for exactly those reasons, many other people just like you all want careers in design too.
The design industry in Australia has been growing rapidly for the last twenty years – and while that might sound like great news, it’s not that simple.
Competition
Competition has become the number one issue in the design professions. The plain reality is that there are many more designers around than there are jobs.
That high growth rate in terms of advertised design businesses and people recording their job as 'designer' tends to hide the fact that the design industry also has an abnormally high under-employment rate. There are a great many people attempting to find a position or make a living from self-employment.
As a consequence, not only is it really hard to get a decent job in the first place, but there are hordes of experienced designers and design companies all competing furiously for what work there is available.
Low wages
That often means prices are forced down, and unless you’re at the top of the design tree, your salary gets cut accordingly.
Starting salaries for a graduate designer fall at the bottom end of graduate salaries. The average salary for an adult designer with five years experience is currently (2006) slightly below the average adult wage in Australia.
I’m a designer too!
Another major problem throughout the industry is that there are many people calling themselves ‘designers’ who simply don’t have the necessary skills and qualifications.
This has the effect of lowering customers' confidence in the quality of work they will receive from a designer and decreasing their willingness to pay well for it.
The design industry is not protected by any form of regulation as to who can claim to be a designer. In the absence of government regulation (which is highly unlikely), there is nothing to stop people with no training jumping into an already overcrowded market.
In addition design education continues to be extremely popular, so universities, TAFE and private education providers continue to pump out thousands more design graduates every year.
Working environment
Design is a project based activity with constant production deadlines. This can frequently require working long hours and hours outside of normal working time. If time pressures and working flexible hours are not for you then maybe design is not the right profession.
Do I or don’t I?
That’s the bad news – take a long, hard, serious look at your real chances of building a career in design before you commit yourself.
Having said all that, there will always be people who are willing to take the risk, who are committed to their personal goal of being a designer, and people whose talent will enable them to shine in any circumstances.
If you’re still keen to carve yourself out a career in design, you need to decide which type of designer you want to be.
Not just pretty pictures
Design is much more than the ability to draw. A great deal of a professional designer's time is spent specifying and documenting things for manufacture, construction and printing. Design requires attention to technical detail, a great deal of person to person consultation and communication, and a great deal of administration.
Design embodies the full range of problem solving skills from those that are strictly rational, analytical and objective, to those that are inspirational, artistic and subjective.
Do you think you'll enjoy the technical, administrative and communication parts of the job?
Design education
Many designers coming through tertiary education are now doing three and four year degrees. This means that many employers consider a degree as the minimum level of training they will consider when hiring a designer.
The DIA in its role of encouraging higher standards in professional design encourages students to complete four year degrees. In the entry requirements for the professional stream in the DIA a three year degree is the education level that entitles you to Associate membership of your professional body immediately on graduation.
My first job?
Most design graduates will probably try to find work first as an employee with an existing business, design company or studio. This is the best way to become a fully rounded professional designer. There are many aspects of being a designer that you will only understand or learn by working with other experienced designers.
However, you are free to start out on your own, running your own design business straight away. It is likely to involve a huge amount of time, money and learning all sorts of general business skills before you even get to a comfortable level of self employment.
Getting work
If you’re trying to land a job as an employee in a design business, you’ll need to make sure you have a brilliant portfolio, know how to talk to people, how to sell yourself correctly, and what to do to give yourself the best chance of getting at least an interview – and maybe even a job! Check out '
Finding Employment in Design'.
You can find out all sorts of valuable information on how to prepare for job interviews in th eDIA practice Note '
PN027 Design Employment'.
Once you've started your tertiary design course you're eligible to be a student member of the DIA. This will give you access to all sorts of information (and people) that can smooth your way into the industry.
*hmmmmm...
