Career Change, Designed

3-D Image detail by Elvira Marin, graduate of the DCA Certificate Program

I don't know if you've heard, but we're in a recession. That has meant for many a time of layoffs and subsequent regrouping. There are unemployment benefits and re-education funds. There are opportunities to get better at what you're already doing, or change career directions entirely. It's both scary and exciting, two emotions that go hand-in-hand, like teenagers at the county fair.

Man, already this sounds like a bad promo, but seriously, I don't know how else to tell you that UCLA Extension is a good place to go if you find yourself at a career juncture.

It's not unusual for me to meet with someone who has been laid-off and would like to finally explore a career in graphic design. I say finally because often they were artistically inclined at some point prior, but got talked out of it by concerned parents or wooed out of it by corporate salaries.

Indeed, people come to the Design Communication Arts program from many different backgrounds - law, engineering, marketing, philosophy. It's one reason our courses are so engaging - because the students are so diverse. Most have an undergraduate degree already, some have a graduate degree already, and pretty much everyone has some workplace experience already. Mix everyone together and you've got a lot of different perspectives and skills.

In the same way, making a living as a graphic designer can look a lot of different ways, just as getting an education to be a graphic designer can happen a lot of different ways. Some of you are preparing to apply to graduate school, most of you will consider the DCA Certificae Program as the means to transition. Indeed, that's what we're here for: educating those who don't have any experience or background in art or design, while also offering working designers a series of courses to advance their skills.

An added bonus is the flexibility in scheduling. Sure, some people want nothing to do with online courses, and that's okay. But for some it's an added delight to save a trip to Westwood, and the parking, and the evening, without losing the educational content. Or, maybe you live in the boonies and you want access to a quality education in a regarded and respected program.

Yes, this is definitely sounding like a commerical. But one ad-like post out of a hundred isn't so bad, right?

For more information about how we can help you explore a career in graphic design, please see the Frequently Asked Questions and program links that run along the right of this blog. Also, you can always ask me. Oh, and I definitely recommend you explore the AIGA website to learn more about the field.

For example, they have a great article called After School Special: Advise for Emerging Designers, which is both graphically interesting and entertaining.