Design

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Designers provide simple and elegant solutions to complex problems. They reflect current trends and they challenge the way we think and see ourselves. They balance creativity with cost-effective and innovative construction. They design our clothes, our public spaces, our furniture and our wine labels. They are often employed as ‘embedded creatives’, and they provide design solutions for every industry sector. Australian design is an exhilarating place to be, and you’ll be amazed at the career choices available to you.

Contribution to the Australian economy

Design

Industry Value

$26.1 billion

Gross value added

People Employed

218,983

People employed in the sector

Business Trading

64,085

Businesses trading in the sector

* Statistics sourced from Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. For more information, please refer to the Statistics Explained page.

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Sectors & Occupations

The design industry is as far-reaching as it is exciting, with specialists working in areas such as graphic design, furniture design, illustration, interior design, industrial design, computer system design, gaming design, jewellery and fashion. Many gained their practical skills and hands-on experience through ‘real life’ vocational education and training (VET) courses.

Check out a sample of the most popular occupations in each sector. Click on them for more information.


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Apprenticeships & Traineeships

Australian Apprenticeships (apprenticeships and traineeships) are an important part of VET. Gaining a VET qualification through an Australian Apprenticeship gives you the opportunity to train, study and earn an income at a variety of qualification levels in most occupations. Australian Apprenticeships combine time at work with training, and can be full-time, part-time or school-based.

Search Apprenticeship & Traineeship Courses in this Industry

Career Stories

VET delivers outstanding employment results for its graduates – watch the following stories and see for yourself. You will be amazed at the career pathways that a VET qualification can unlock for you in the design industry.


Mitchell’s Story - Video Thumbnail

Mitchell’s Story

“When you do an apprenticeship, you’ve got that job, you can stay in that job.”

VET Qualification: Certificate III in Signage

Career: Sign Writer

As a teenager, Mitchell remembers admiring the promotional signage and stickers on cars, and a career in sign writing eventually beckoned. Mitchell recently has achieved his goal of securing a sign-writing position with V8 Supercars team Nissan Motorsport.

Nathan’s Story - Video Thumbnail

Nathan’s Story

“I use stories and colours that represent something of Aboriginal art.”

VET Qualification: Advanced Diploma of Interior Design

Career: Interior Designer

Nathan’s creative mind and passion for art and design began at a young age. Now a fully qualified interior designer at Laminex in Perth, his designs have appeared in Scoop Home and Art Magazine and The West Australian.

The Academy of Interactive Entertainment's Story - Video Thumbnail

The Academy of Interactive Entertainment's Story

"The students are getting so many valuable skills from an industry training perspective that they are able to go on and work on big name movies as well as triple A games." 

The Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) is a specialist game institution established in 1996. Its graduates today work in the top creative studios around the world and contribute to the success of acclaimed games such as Gears of War 4 and movie blockbusters such as Mad Max: Fury Road.

Skills for your Career

My Skills can help you find the right course to ignite your career in the design industry. You can search for VET courses and compare information such as fees, durations, graduate satisfaction, job prospects and available subsidies.

There are a number of different ways to search for VET courses on My Skills.


Course Search

Search for keywords in course titles, such as ‘interior design’ or ‘graphic design’:

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Careers in Demand

A number of skilled occupations are currently in shortage in engineering design. These jobs are in demand across Australia, so there’s a good chance of ongoing employment when you complete your training. If you want to set yourself up for a rewarding career, check out the following jobs and the VET courses that will give you the practical skills you need to gain employment in them.

Data is sourced from the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment.



Growth Areas

Architectural, engineering and technical services is the largest employing sector in design. If you’re interested in a career in the design industry, the following VET courses are worth considering, because they will prepare you for work in areas where employment is expected to grow over the next three years.

Data has been sourced from the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment and SSO/IRC Industry Skills Forecasts (Construction, Plumbing and Services, Culture and Related Industries, Information Communication and Technology, Printing and Graphic Arts).



Resources

With so much information about careers, it’s hard to know where to start or where to look.
Here are a few sites you may find useful once you’ve found the right VET course and training provider on My Skills.


Artibus Innovation

A Skills Service Organisation established by the Commonwealth Government supporting the property services industry.

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Australian Computer Society

The professional association and peak body representing Australia’s ICT sector.

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Building Designers Association of Australia

A national association representing Building Designers throughout Australia.

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Design Institute of Australia

Australia’s peak industry body for professional design, representing Australian design and designers both domestically and internationally.

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Skills for Australia

A Skills Service Organisation established by the Commonwealth Government to support Industry Reference Committees in their work to develop modern and relevant training packages.

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The Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC)

Provides leadership and guidance to the VET system, bringing a strong industry-based perspective which will enhance responsiveness, quality & relevance within the sector.

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