I’m a Graphic design student with about 2 years left, eager to start working but i don’t want to be designing soap packages, my true passion lays in footwear design. i’ve been looking at various design colleges and am seriously considering changing majors, even though it means being in school for a bit longer.
am i doing the right thing? or is there way to finish my degree and work harder outside of class on ID and still be on par with my employment competition graduating with product design degrees? maybe an idea is getting an antry level design job at a shoe company, and squeezing my way into footwear development from there. …
You can get a job in footwear design without an ID degree. I have ten years experience working on discount and branded athletic shoes, I’m paid well, and travel to Asia a few times a year - all without a degree.
HOWEVER, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Every week I see fantastic designs from students on the web, and they keep getting more impressive as they learn from professionals on these forums and on kicksguide.com. I have doubts that my ten years experience will trump their youth, enthusiasm, and education if we were to compete for a job.
Go to school for ID. Trust me, if you don’t you’ll wish you had.
seems like you already know the answer to your question…if graphic design is not what you want to do, why continue down that road, knowing doing so could put you at a disadvantage? especially given the fact that you are still in school?
to answer your question, (as robin said) it is definitely possible to get into footwear without a id degree; but you would not be making easy for yourself if by forgoing it…