Industrial designers
Career Overview
Industrial designers:
- Conceptualize and produce designs for manufactured products
- Work for manufacturing industries, private design firms or they may be self-employed
Job Titles
Duties
Industrial designers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Consult with client, engineers or production specialists to establish product requirements
- Analyze the intended use of product and user preferences
- Carry out research into cost, properties of production materials and methods of production
- Prepare design concepts, sketches or models for approval
- Prepare manufacturing drawings, specifications and guidelines for production, and construct prototype of design
- Consult with engineers and production staff during manufacturing stage
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,400% Employed Full Time
60%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office.
Career Pathways
There is mobility between positions in this unit group and other design occupations.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- A university degree in industrial design, architecture, engineering
or
A college diploma in industrial design is required - Creative ability, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, is required
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Industrial Design
- Communication Design
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Analyzing operational and product needs to create a design.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,400Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 0 | 0.0% |
| Kootenay | 15 | 1.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,075 | 76.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.7% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 95 | 6.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 200 | 14.2% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
660Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 560 | 2.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 30 | 2.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 70 | 1.3% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 460 |
| Retail Trade | 70 |
| Manufacturing | 60 |
| Construction | 30 |
| Wholesale Trade | 10 |
Resources
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Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC)www.aibc.ca/
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Association of Canadian Industrial Designers (ACID)designcanada.com
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BC Innovation Council (BCIC)bcic.ca
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Design Exchange Canada's Design Museumwww.dx.org
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Emily Carr University – Artswork Opportunity Boardwww.connect.ecuad.ca/studentservices/careers/artswork
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World Design Organization™ (WDO)wdo.org
