As the CEO, we joke I'm the "chief email opener". I spend a lot of time meeting with people and figuring out who are partners will be.
CAREER
Commercial and Industrial Designers
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$71,640
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
-3.5% (decline)
Most Common Level of Education
Bachelor's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Commercial and Industrial Designers Do
Design and develop manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.
Other Job Titles Commercial and Industrial Designers May Have
Design Engineer, Designer, Industrial Designer, Mechanical Designer, Mold Designer, Product Design Engineer, Product Designer, Product Development Engineer, Sign Designer
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
My day is usually split between running my fashion business and working on one of my cars.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.
- Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.
- Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.
- Confer with engineering, marketing, production, or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products.
- Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval and discuss need for modification.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Commercial and Industrial Designers
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (61%)
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
Creativity lies at the intersection of domains. Even if you have many different (sometimes conflicting) interests, purse as many as you can and figure out ways to combine and utilize those skills in your unique way. The more things you work on the better off you will be.
Don't always try to please other people. If you have your own vision, follow that and don't let other people influence you. Confidence is a big factor. You have to believe in what you are doing otherwise, no one else will.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
Middle School Students
BE CURIOUS. You don't have to know all the answers today but remaining curious about what you're doing in any field is the precursor to innovation. Get a mentor who can help you answer the questions you're not sure about and above all think of "Problems" as opportunities.
High School Students
College Students
Everyone
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
