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Digital Designers

Exploring This Job

If you are interested in a career in digital design, there are a number of ways to find out whether you have the talent, ambition, and perseverance to succeed in the field. Take as many art and digital design courses as possible while still in high school and become proficient using computers. To get an insider's view of various design occupations, you could enlist the help of art teachers or school counselors to make arrangements to tour design firms and interview designers.

While in school, seek out practical experience by participating in school and community projects that call for design talents. These might include such activities as preparing print and electronic publications, designing Web sites, preparing animated features, and working with other types of digital media.

Part-time and summer jobs are excellent ways to become familiar with the day-to-day requirements of a design job and gain some basic related experience. Possible employers include design studios, design departments in advertising agencies, and any other organization that has a Web site or offers digital publications.

Get involved in design- and computer-related summer exploration programs that are offered by colleges and universities, high schools, companies, and professional associations. For example, the National Student Leadership Conference offers a Digital Arts & Design program that features three exploration tracks: graphic design, photography, and animation. Learn more at https://www.nslcleaders.org.

Participate in information interviews with digital designers to learn more about the field. Ask your school counselor and computer science teacher for help setting up these experiences. Finally, read books and other publications about digital design.

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