I’ve built a career in high-tech and currently work on the west coast at one of the largest companies in this biz … to be specific, I now manage product dev of consumer software (for mobile devices, for the past seven). I am considering going to a design school (in bout two years, after my wife finishes her MFA) to either jump-start my second career or just give my existing one a new direction.
Oh, and I just turned 40.
Am I just nuts? Any advice on how to do this without totally destroying my existing career? I supposed I would have to enter an undergrad program, right (I have a BS in CompSci)?
kavehg, welcome to the boards. There are a lot of conversations going on similar to this one were you might glean some insight. Does you current employer have an ID department? Any chance they would sponsor you to go back to school?
In general, most ID grad programs would take you. Grad ID programs tend not to be geared to people with ID undergrads who want to continue their education for some reason, and more geared toward people from other career. I do believe you get a more rigorous education in most undergrad programs.
you’re not nuts, you’d just need to be prepared for the major pay-cut.
an addendum to YO’s note: most Art schools will take you at a grad level. Increasingly, Universities require the Bachelors. (it’s really the appropriate 1st professional degree)
The developing world is a significant threat. a decade ago Korea targeted ID as a core-competency need on a governmental level and see where they are now. China has done the same