Welcome to the latest edition of the Skills Toolkit where our focus is on Graphic Design. We are also launching today the new Discover Skills BC website which contains comprehensive career exploration resources for students, classroom resources for educators and important career and post-secondary training information for parents.

• New classroom resources are now avaialble to support the exploration of trades and technologies careers for grades 4/5, 6/7 and 8/9 that align with BC's new curriculum.
• All modules, complete with blackline masters and rubrics, can be easily incorporated into the classroom - no shop or special tools required.
• The resources most closely align with Applied Design, Skills and Technologies (ADST) and Career Education, they can be adapted and integrated into other subject areas such as Science, Social Studies, Math and Language Arts.
• All the resources are FREE and can be downloaded in both MS Word and PDF format here. 

The GDMA program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) provides students with a well-balanced education in graphic design, marketing, business, technology and liberal education. GDMA graduates design innovative, socially responsible, and measurably effective marketing communications to meet the changing needs of business and society.

The four-year degree program is offered full time at the KPU Richmond campus.
Many applicants come directly from high school, some transfer from other post-secondary institutions, while others may already hold a degree from a non-design field. They may also be mature individuals who want to make a career change, or they may have experience in the graphic design industry and want to upgrade their credentials. Read more here.

Where did do your post-secondary studies? I am a graduate of Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)

What program did you study and what credential do you receive? I completed the Graphic Design for Marketing (GDMA) program at KPU. Upon finishing this program I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Design and Marketing.

What got you interested in this career? While in a Business Admin Diploma program at KPU, I took a photography course as an elective. Through the development of film, compositing of photos and creating spoof advertisements, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in design.

Do you know someone who does this type of work/career?  I still maintain regular contact with all my classmates who have all gone on to work within the design field throughout Vancouver. I’m also working alongside fellow GDMA grad Zia Somjee at Cause+Affect.

What do you like best about it? What I love about design is the freedom and the ever changing landscape of work. Each project I have the chance to work on comes with its own unique set of challenges and problems that need to be solved.

What is the biggest challenge? The biggest challenge is not being too hard on yourself. Creative thought doesn’t always happen when you want it to and you can’t always achieve what you set out to complete. This doesn’t make you a bad designer. It’s all too easy to be your biggest critic, the key is just to stay positive. The results will comes in time.

What job do you hope to have when you finish your training? Once I finished school I was able to get a job as a designer with my current employer, Cause+Affect in Vancouver. However eventually in my career I aim to either achieve the position of creative director at a design studio or be an owner/co-owner of my own studio.

What does your company do? Cause+Affect is a branding agency, that specializes in developing culture, identity and engagement. Our diverse track record of projects and clients has positioned us as a leading source of branding and has built a reputation for top tier design quality, social and environmental consciousness, and a culturally focused mandate to create a better city.

What types of graduates do you plan to hire in the the next 12 to 36 months?  If we were to hire a grad in the future they would have to possess at least a degree related to the field of design. As for a grad's skill set, they must be an independent and flexible worker. They must possesses a creative thought process to be able to create and develop multiple concepts for a variety of clients.

What is your greatest challenge when hiring new employees? Making sure that they are the right fit for working in a small, lean studio. They must be proactive to be able to adapt to fill the roles required for each project we take on.

Do you offer ongoing training opportunities for employees? No we do not, but we encourage our employees to take part in creative events around Vancouver such as Creative Mornings and Type Brigade.

Do you provide any co-op or experiential learning opportunities for secondary or post-secondary students? Yes, in the past we have worked with the Graphic Design for Marketing (GDMA) program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University to give their students a short-term internship opportunity. This allows their students to gain some insight into what working in a studio environment feels like.

The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training (JTST), in liaison with the Industry Training Authority (ITA), have developed a Youth Trades Capital Equipment Program (YTCEP).

The YTCEP is targeted to enable schools to purchase trades training equipment that is needed to support the delivery of one of the ITA’s Youth Trades Programs. Read more here.