The concept, style and function of each manufactured product on the consumer market were developed by an industrial designer. These highly skilled visionaries blend the fields of business, engineering and art to create such commodities as toys, gadgets, home appliances and motor vehicles. Job opportunities for those that design precision instruments and medical equipment will grow rapidly in coming years, projects the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Los Angeles, it is a vocation that remains in demand throughout a broadening range of industries.
“Because we continue to be the front leaders in manufacturing and production, this occupation is an ideal one to pursue in the L.A. area,” said Dr. Mauricio Castillo, an industrial technology professor at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). “We create, plan and design new-style manufactured goods for all sectors of industry.”
In Thousand Oaks, a master-planned community, commercial and industrial designers earn an average annual salary of $90,000, according to economic data. Within other divisions of greater L.A., the median yearly wage is around $60,000, which is a hefty paycheck for a recent college graduate. Castillo said CSULA is busy preparing endeavoring industrial designers for a sustainable career in this avant-garde territory.
“Our students are gaining technical knowledge in areas of production, manufacturing and transportation,” Castillo said. “Our program offers a strong curriculum for any aspiring industrial designer who desires to become a leader in the technology field.”
How has the need for adept industrial designers progressed since 2010?
“Technological devices, such as 3D printers, are changing the way we do business within the manufacturing sectors of both private and governmental entities.”
How will the role of an effective industrial designer change by 2022?
“A larger variety of businesses and industries will be in need of individuals who have the knowledge and flexibility to learn, implement and manage new technology within complex business environments.”
What is your message to the academic community?
“Technology changes at the speed of light. What was innovative yesterday may be replaced tomorrow. Schools need well-prepared industrial and technology education teachers to help instruct and guide young men and women into high-technology careers.”
Full article can be found on the CBS Los Angeles website:
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/10/20/industrial-designers-are-essen...