Okay guys question is simple - because i am non EU/US resident i am having hell of a problems - my talent is not of course enough to surpass them and my anxiety level is only rising.
I finished B.A industrial design and than Had M.A transportation design scholarship from VW/Audi?Lamborghini in Milano, Italy. And because of PAPERS - i had to get back to my country. Now i am thinking of doing one more master in USA.
Can anyone provide me info about scholarships on MA industrial/Transportation design in USA?
the only thing that matters is a kick ass portfolio.
no degree in the world can substitute for it nor can it work around immigration restrictions.
If your willing to spend the next two years working on your portfolio to get your dream job afterwards I recommend you save your money and do it where you are now. Post a link to your work and take our advice on how to improve you skills.
I already have kickass portfolio + international awards from 2006-2013 all years (btw this is not all go back to my porifle if u want to see 5 more kickass projects ) - But i am not EU/US citizen … so when it comes to paper its almost impossible to get them … and yes i am in big problem even with this kind of kick-ass portfolio. Best solution for me is to get our of country and study on STUDENT VISA - and then get job. Because like this its hard. Or if u have some pointers i would gladly hear them.
Your work is very good. I feel like getting a job for you might not be terribly difficult. Getting an automotive jobs might be hard, since the competition is very tough. But there are other ID jobs you might be able to get.
I know companies sponsor international employees all the time and help them get their Visa. I know quite a few international designers that have gotten work in the states this way. One thing you may be able to do is just start sending your work out and getting interviews at places and if a company really wants you. They will find a way to get you in.
I however know very little about the process. Hopefully someone with some good background in this area can help you.
Thank you for this answer! I heard about Visa sponsorship - J1 and i am at the moment looking where can i find companies like that to approach them ( heard there are some but dont know which)
So if anyone has info about this it would be nice!
Not sure if companies will ever specifically spell it out.
For example. Lunar in SF is looking for a Junior designer.
If it was me. I would apply and in my cover letter state that I was an international grad looking for a job (along with a why you want to work there obviously and all the standard cover letter things.) If you happen to peak their interest and the conversation gets going, it eventually come to visa and work requirements.
Don’t limit yourself because of your not sure if they can help. In the end you don’t really know what they can or can’t do. If they specially state only US citizens then don’t apply. Otherwise go for it. I would apply anywhere you want to work and see what happens.
I second Sain and would recommend not focusing too much on Transportation Design. Not so much because your work would not be up to par, but rather because there is a limited amount of opening that often get filled through recommendations and contacts.
A consultancy internship/trainee period on a J1 Visa is a really good way of getting a foot in the door in the US and EU. More than half of our ID team are international and most have started on a J1 Visa which later was turned into a H1B.
So apply to as many studios as you can, don’t give up hope and maybe develop your skills further in the meantime.
In terms of another Masters, I can see your reasoning but I would strongly discourage you from pursuing one in the same field you already have one. If I were in admissions of a reputable school, I would also have a hard time accepting a student who clearly only wants to apply to get out of his home country.
Also, it is very very very expensive for international student in the US.
I would say, there is definitely a point when a school just doesn’t teach you what you need to know in that stage of your career. You need real life design experience and from the looks of it, you are ready for it.
You can use an internship company or a visa agent to get a J1 visa to the USA.
I did but it was very expensive, maybe $1500-$2000 ( I didn’t pay, a university scholarship paid for it) and it wasn’t straightforward. I believe how the agents work is that they only get paid if the visa application is successful, so any flags mean they won’t proceed with your application. For example I was asking (innocent) questions about dates because I wanted to to bring my wife and kids on tourist visas, the visa agent took this to mean I was trying to emigrate illegally, so considered me a flight risk, and refused to process the application.
Google ‘internship USA’ and filter out the ‘work in a summer camp’ stuff, and you can find agents who will, for a hefty fee, arrange everything- companies, visas, accommodation, flights.
well, outside of trans, one masters will make you overqualified to work any entry level job - let alone a second.
working any design job at all will do more for your career than more school
So a bachelors in ID will get you a gig leading ID research? I think not. An ID degree will start you off as either a sketch or CAD monkey, you will not jump into research nor strategy. A masters certainly can open that door.
And what does overqualified mean? Is that the person who has a lot of qualifications but is willing to start at the bottom? Because while there are some not willing to make that sacrifice, there are plenty who are willing.
what A Masters degree can or cant do for a career is a separate issue and I hope the O.P. has read up on all the opinions here…
And unless he’s willing to give up drawing cars for a living - he starts at the bottom.
I read all replies - and they are really helpful for me - No i dont have to do only car design - i can do industrial design also - very flexible when it comes to both - also i can do 3d visuelization + 3d modeling (H+ in Maya and Alias studio tools ) so i can choose.
This replies are awesome - u are helping me big deal people!
Actually, we are discussing whether a masters for the op can assist his career.
And while there may be some masters programs that offer continuing sketch/CAD monkey skills that can be received in a bachelors program and would have little value, there are many others that educate well beyond what a bachelors can offer and what you receive with on-the-job experience.
There is no doubt the op can benefit from a masters program with regards to his career. He does need to determine which program will best fulfill his objectives. I would agree he has not been completely forthcoming with those objectives. But that is really not much of an issue because many masters programs allow the student great leeway for their pursuit. The op can control what is received from a program.
if the bottom line is working in the US or EU my suggestion would be to apply for teaching jobs.
to import a worker (during high unemployment) a company has to demonstrate that the skills or abilities can’t be found in-country. then pay a bunch of fees to get the paperwork done. this is unlikely anytime soon, unfortunately.
The best opportunity is not going to be in industry but academia. because of the long hours and low pay schools are always looking for faculty.
Where a second design masters is pointless, and where an MBA or a research masters might give you an edge over local job applicants, a masters in Art Education or even better a PhD. in design would lend itself to immediate tenure track opportunities anywhere.
As far as I know Serbia will be part of the EU in a few years anyway, right? So all you basically have to do is wait a few years for your EU-citizenship
