Career Oppertunities

Through my course i will acquire many transferable skills including:

- Communication
- Organization
- Team Work
- Explaining Ideas
- Effective Writing
- Good Grasp on Various Software
- Conveying information
- Thinking Ahead
- Time Management

When my 3 year course is complete it is not likely that i will immediately fall into a good job at a design house and so I will need a plan to help me through the early period of time in which I will not have a steady income. I could find a part time job in a different field while working freelance to build up a portfolio to get noticed or i could choose to go onto a higher level of education. Currently, 12.6% of people coming out of a Graphic Communications course remain unemployed for a notable length of time whilst 68.5% find some form of work and 9.1% stay in education.

Were I to attempt to find a job relating to my course, the best choices would be:

• Advertising art director
• Animator
• Graphic designer
• Illustrator
• Printmaker
• Production designer, theatre/television/film

Jobs in which my degree would be useful include:

• Fine artist
• Medical illustrator
• Multimedia specialist
• Photographer

If i was looking to stay in education, a masters degree would be a good way to go. It would help develop my work, skills and knowledge.
Some masters allow you to collaborate, with artists from other courses such as fine artists or film makers. Additionally, a Masters gives the student time to build up their  portfolios and create a larger network of contacts which would eventually be invaluable when it does come time to get a job.

Source: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/options_graphic_design.htm

Agencies

An employment agency is an organization which matches employers to employees. In this context it is essentially an organization that will find work for artists in exchange for a portion of the profits. Agencies are not necessary however they are hugely beneficial and provide a level of stability that would be incredibly difficult to procure alone. 

Big Active

Big Active are an award winning creative consultancy specializing in art direction, graphic design and the representation of leading image makers. They work in many fields however including  music, fashion, culture and entertainment, designing brand identities, communications, publications, digital content and events. They are therefore very diverse and believe each field is unique and often work with various partners because of this in order to produce the best quality work.

Nowhere on the website is there anywhere for potential clients to send a portfolio implying that the agency would rather seek out clients rather than be inundated with people asking to be represented. As they are a big and well known agency they are able to do this but smaller agencies still ask for people to send in portfolios to evaluate. The site does have a contact page but it is intended for people to ask the agency to do a job for them.

Info and images taken from www.bigactive.com