Design is all around us, therefore studying design at University of Plymouth will open a wide range of career choices as it equips you with the skills, knowledge and contacts to enter the world of work and build a career that suits you. You could look at channelling your artist talents by pursuing a career as a designer. If considering this option, you could choose from a wealth of career paths including industrial/ product design, interior design, furniture design, clothing/ textile technologist and web design. You could also use your creative flair to work as an advertising art director or fashion buyer.
You could also consider less obvious options such as film and television production or working within marketing and advertising.
Many designers are self-employed – looking for freelance work, or setting up and running their own businesses – whilst others are employed. Typical employers include major design consultancies such as IDEO, Tangerine, Lego and Dyson. When considering your options, remember that your physical and digital portfolio are essential to presenting your work to potential employers and evidencing your skills. To find out more about going freelance or running your own business check out our
self-employment and freelancing
page.
You could also use your design skills to inspire others and work as a teacher (primary, secondary, further education) or higher education lecturer. Teaching opportunities are also available outside of a traditional classroom setting and you could consider using your artist flair to engage with people as a Community Arts Worker.
When considering your options, remember that your physical and digital portfolio are essential to presenting your work to potential employers and evidencing your skills.
It's worth remembering that many design graduates take the skills they have learnt elsewhere and find their way into less directly related graduate professions including marketing, the civil service and the charitable sector.
Researching your career options
With such a wide range of careers open to you as a design graduate, it is important to make sure you explore and research your options thoroughly so that you can make informed decisions about your future.
Employment opportunities
Below is a snapshot of what some of University of Plymouth design graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation. For some graduates, these jobs serve as stepping stones to other roles by providing relevant workplace experience.
- 3D Computer Aided Design Modeler
- Account Executive
- Art and Design Technician
- Associate Director
- CAD Technician
- CEO
- Design Engineer
- Designer
- Development Designer
- Digital Artist
- Digital Marketing Assistant
- Furniture and Lighting Designer
- Graduate Front End Developer
- Graduate Product Lead
- Graduate Solutions Architect
- Graduate Transport Planner
- Graphic Designer
- Head of Web and User Experience
- Information Technology Teacher
- Jewellery Product Designs
- Product Designer
- Project Manager
- Software Developer
- Sustainability Lead
- Technical Draftsman
- Textiles Innovation Intern
- Visualisation Designer
- Web Designer
- Web Developer
- Web Software Developer
Employers
- Amphibio
- Champ Designs UK
- Cobra Ribs
- Ebix Europe
- Fenland RP
- Goss Interactive Ltd
- GSL Media
- Huw Evans
- iDesign
- IKEA
- Inn Gear Ltd
- Longpré Furniture
- NewZapp
- Nivo Digital
- Paul Cocksedge Studio
- Positive Purchasing
- Proctor + Stevenson
- RDD Creative
- Silverstream TV
- South Devon College
- Sparck
- Surveybase Ltd
*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys covering the three years of 2018/19 – 2020/21. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.