People who work in the field of digital media and design develop content for video games and various forms of animation. In addition, they create content for marketing initiatives and websites. Pursuing a career requires a mastery of the principles and skills needed to work with digital and social media.
Career opportunities include work as a digital media photographer, an animator, a social media specialist, a video editor, a graphic or game designer, or a specialist in Web analytics.
Digital Media Photographers take pictures of people, places, and things just like traditional photographers. They also edit their photos using sophisticated software and filters.
Animators bring images to life and add special effects to the television, film, and marketing industries. They use modern techniques such as 3D animation, modeling, story boarding, and photo imaging.
Social Media Specialists create content for social media platforms. They monitor how people use the platforms, oversee the designs, and respond to users’ comments.
Video Editors – as the title implies – edit raw video content that tells a story or becomes part of a film. Examples include television programs and commercials. They use a prepared script and may add special effects, music, dialogue, and even animation.
Graphic/Game Designers create images for newspaper ads, media displays, product labels, and logos. They use software that helps with layouts and illustrations.
Web Analytic Specialists are experts at optimizing search engines. They evaluate customer traffic and use the data to improve websites and increase online traffic.
During the school experience, students should explore opportunities for an internship with an established company. This experience familiarizes students with best practices in their chosen professions.
Before applying for a job, a person should establish an online portfolio in the form of a website or blog. This is because your work will be more practical than theoretical. Your portfolio should demonstrate the skills and techniques you have learned. You should consider purchasing and using a personalized domain name to make your online presence look more professional.
Salaries depend on the job description and level of education. They usually vary from about $38,000 to more than $60,000 per year. About 71% of jobs require a bachelor’s degree, while about 20% require an associate degree. Media companies hire about 60% of qualified people, while educational institutions hire about 15%. The rest find jobs in public or governmental institutions.
Skills such as coding, artistic design, and programming can make an applicant attractive even without a 4-year degree. These types of skills are offered by many postsecondary career and technical schools. These schools use specialized student management systems. STARS* is a postsecondary career college management system. It provides a comprehensive set of features that minimizes the need for additional third-party software. STARS® runs in the cloud on an IBMi Power 9 server which provides extremely fast response times, 99.99% uptime, and the highest degree of security available.
Click here to learn more about how STARS can help Digital Media & Design Schools.
*STARS® is an acronym for Student Tracking and Accounting Records System. This type of software is also referred to as a student management system, career college management system, student information management system, campus management software, school information management system, college management system, student record management system, campus management system, student information system software, online student management software, vocational school management system, etc.
