Explore career options in design
Here you can find information on the types of careers and employment roles your design studies may land you.
You can also discover where to look for job vacancies, as well as professional associations, mentoring and international opportunities.
Opportunities
Depending on your major, you will be prepared for work in graphic design, interior design, product design, digital web design, design management, design education, film and television, theatre, furniture design, and digital media.
Graphic and communication design—graphic designers work in advertising agencies, public relations, design consultancies, promotion departments, printing and packaging, and publishing.
Interior design and environments—interior designers work with interior design consultancies, architects offices, builders, and construction organisations.
Product and 3D design—product or 3D designers work in manufacturing, design consultancies and designer/maker workshops.
Visualisation design—web designers work for advertising agencies, public relations firms, design consultancies, digital production companies, promotion departments, and publishing.
Career fields
- Graphic design
- Interior design
- Product Design
- Experience design
- User interface design
- Interactive design
- Service Design
- Digital and web design
- Artistic direction
- Creative Direction
- Illustration
- Animation
- Advertising
- Creative agencies
- Instructional design
- Publishing
- Marketing and public relations
- Media production
- Social media marketing
- CGI / visual effects
- Non-Government organisations
- Government (local/state/federal)
- Education and training
Employment roles
- Graphic designer
- Product designer
- Interior designer
- User interface designer
- Experience designer
- Illustrator
- Creative technologist
- Content creator
- Content manager
- Web designer/developer
- Digital designer
- Motion graphics artist
- Motion graphics designer
- Creative consultant
- Creative assistant
- Production coordinator
- Colour consultant
- Project manager
- Graphic artist
- Kitchen designer
- Furniture designer
- Website content coordinator
- Social media manager
- Social media content creator
- Community and content coordinator
- Educator
Freelancing
Financial management and networking are important aspects of freelancing.
If you are considering freelancing, you may benefit from the services and advice of these organisations:
Occupation snapshot
Employed
55,300
Future demand
Strong
Weekly earnings
$1,500
Part-time share
21%
This data is based on the occupation profile for graphic and web designers, and illustrators, retrieved from the Government's and websites August 2024.
Your employability
In addition to knowledge and skills directly related to your program of study, you will also develop a range of other skills such as teamwork, analytical, communication through academic study, employment, voluntary work, sporting and recreational activities and life experience.
Recognising the value employers place on these skills is an important factor in your graduate job search. You can further develop your employability with these resources:
Vacancies
Information on relevant vacancies can be found in a wide range of sources:
- (formerly Grad 色情网站)
Notable alumnus: Rachele Andrews
Queensland College of Art Design graduate Rachele Andrews was announced the winner of the 2020 Design Institute of 色情网站 Queensland Visual Communication Graduate of the Year.
Rachele’s win in the state category also put her the running for 色情网站n Visual Communication Graduate of the Year and the Graduate of the Year across all design disciplines in Queensland.
Job application resources
Craft a stand-out resume and cover letter, and learn how to prepare for job interviews.
Approach potential employers
Many work opportunities are not advertised, so we recommend approaching potential employers with the aim of researching their needs and how your skills, experience, interests and qualifications could match theirs.
This is called informational interviewing and will benefit you by:
- clarifying your specific career direction
- enhancing your professional network
- increasing your chances of being offered a job.
Industry outlook
The website includes helpful information such as job descriptions, employment prospects, average weekly earnings and skills requirements. Every job title in the database has a skills section to help you identify and describe essential skills for your future career.
The website also has job descriptions and a useful career insight section.
The website has up-to-date information on graduate salaries, especially the Graduate Outlook Survey (GOS) National Report, which contains undergraduate salary figures.
More detailed information is available at the portal.
Professional associations
Joining a professional association is a great way to interact with people in your field who can assist you to explore your career options and potentially find employment opportunities. These associations hold regular professional development and networking events:
Students are welcome to join and often receive a discount on their membership.
Mentoring
The award-winning Industry Mentoring Program provides an excellent opportunity to further develop your employability and build professional networks.
The program is available to students with more than 80CP as well as recent graduates.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is committed to advancing sustainable development through comprehensive initiatives that promote economic prosperity, social inclusion, environmental sustainability and good governance for all.
Further careers information
Careers counselling
Individual career counselling sessions are available to all current students and recent graduates.
You can book an initial appointment via CareerHub.
Career planning
Our website has an array of career planning resources you can explore at any stage of your student journey.
Career Readiness
Check out our Career Readiness site in Learning@Griffith for additional information and resources for your career development learning:
Similar career options
Please note: The content on this webpage is a guide only. Please refer to degree-specific information and accreditation requirements of your profession on the Degree and Course Finder website and with the relevant professional accreditation body for your degree.