Industrial Designer

Industrial designers decide how many of the items we use in our daily lives look and work. They typically specialise in a particular product, based on their training or experience.

Whether working on a completely new product or an existing one, the product designer's aim is to make sure the product is: easy to use; efficient; cost effective to produce; attractive in appearance. This involves looking carefully at what is required, researching and developing ideas, and coming up with a design.

Industrial designers are more involved with industrial items such as cars and scientific and medical equipment, while product designers are involved with the process of developing everyday products, often working closely with industrial designers, packaging designers and people with technical expertise.

 

An industrial designer's key tasks include: taking details of what is needed (known as the 'brief ') from the client; developing ideas and making initial sketches; deciding on suitable materials; using computer design software to produce detailed final drawings; making samples or working models; testing the design; finding solutions for any problems with the design.

At all stages, they work with skilled colleagues such as engineers and model-makers. As well as designing products, they also take part in meetings and presentations, and might put together bids and proposals for new work

Newly-qualified designers can earn around £17,000 to £25,000 a year. Experienced product designers earn between £30,000 and £40,000.

Senior product designers can earn up to £50,000.

You need to be able to show employers that you have creative skills, technical knowledge and the ability to work to a design brief. This will involve presenting a portfolio of your design work, and usually also having a relevant qualification at degree, foundation degree or BTEC HND level.

You could choose a qualification in product design, or a more general design qualification that offers product design as an option. You could also choose to focus more on technical and engineering aspects of design, or on specific areas, such as furniture, automotive or consumer goods.

You should check with colleges and universities to make sure the course you have chosen covers your areas of interest.

The design field is very competitive, and opportunities are often found by word of mouth, so it will be important to develop your contacts, for example by unpaid work experience or by joining professional organisations like the Chartered Society of Designers.

It is worthwhile researching companies whose products match your style, and making speculative applications.

Entering design competitions and exhibitions can also be a good way of getting noticed by employers.