Taking the Leap: Student Futures in Creative Careers

Industry panelists discuss measures that students can take to prepare for entering creative careers in computer graphics and interactive techniques. In the wake of global pandemic, creative industries have transformed. While certain aspects of hiring and recruitment processes remain unfazed, others have fundamentally changed. Transformed workplace cultures and new technologies present opportunities for alternative and de-habituated career paradigms. Simultaneously, new pathways present unforeseen challenges. Creative industry representatives discuss the general and specific state of affairs within their respective fields and provide insight into changing employment models. Discussion includes advice for educators to help prepare students for a variety of transforming career scenarios, as well as the preparation, training, and attributes students need to enter related fields. Panelists will consider the qualities underlying desirable entry-level applicants in their respective fields and elaborate upon changes in the transition from school to work resulting from the global pandemic. Represented industry segments include animation, interactive/experience design, computer graphics research, and virtual production. Questions considered include how schools and educators can help prepare students for successful transitions into creative careers; what entry-level applicants should have (and should not have) on resumes, portfolios, and demo reels; and what can students do on their own to proactively acquire requisite credentials. Discussion will expose fresh outlooks on the futures of creative fields in computer graphics and interactive techniques.