Industrial Designer - Training & Careers

We live surrounded by the work of industrial designers. Pretty well every manufactured article you see has been shaped at some stage by an industrial designer. From toys to toothbrushes, from furniture to medical equipment, if it is man-made industrial design will have played an important part.

As an industrial designer you would combine your artistic and design skills with research on customer needs, costs, and production techniques to create a product which looked good, worked well and appealed to the right people at the right price. In practice you would probably specialize in one industry or a limited range of related products.

What skills do Industrial Designers need?

Industrial designers require a wide range of skills and abilities. You need to be able to work with both things and people. On the things side you combine good design with practicality and commercial realism in ways which range from grand designs to actual model building. On the people front you need to be able to listen and communicate to understand and incorporate ideas and modifications into your work.

What training is required to be an Industrial Designer?

A bachelor’s degree is required to enter this field. You can choose from fine art programs (which are more art-oriented) or design programs (which feature more industrial and manufacturing design courses). In either case you should ensure that you include classes in computer aided design and manufacturing as these will be key skills on your future career.

Job Outlook as an Industrial Designer?

Industrial engineer jobs should increase for a number of reasons. These include the growing demand for hi-tech products, increasing safety requirements and a general demand for new products. Outlook may vary by industry sector, but in general your job prospects as a well-qualified industrial designer should be bright.