Globalisation, automation and rapidly changing needs mean the future of employment will probably look very different to now. In fact, many current careers won’t exist in the next 10 to 20 years. So, it’s critical that students ask the important question: ‘Will my chosen study path lead to strong job opportunities after graduation and beyond?’
In this series, we’re exploring a range of occupations forecast to have strong employment prospects in the future. Some careers in the tech industry are quickly emerging. Plus, there are other existing careers that will also have an important place in the employment opportunities of tomorrow.
This time around, we’re breaking down what it takes to have a career in digital media. Whether you’re an app addict, video game obsessive or a viral marketing guru, your digital media talents could open the door to a wide range of jobs in the sector.
WHAT IS DIGITAL MEDIA?
Digital media is a broad term that encompasses careers at the intersection of technology and content creation. As an industry, digital media is constantly growing thanks to the skyrocketing demand for animation, computer games, computer graphics and information visualisation content across the globe. If analytics are your more your style, there are also promising career paths related to gathering and understanding data about how consumers view and share all this content.
WHAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE?
With a degree in digital media, you could become:
- A 3D specialist
- An animator
- A digital graphic artist
- A web developer
- A marketing expert
- A games developer
- A software designer
- A multimedia consultant
- A technology journalist
- A film effects developer
- And more!
DESIGN THE FUTURE
Over the past decade, almost all of the media we consume has migrated from books, TV and newspapers to our phone and computer screens. The tools we use are still advancing, so who knows where we’ll be in 2029! As a digital media expert, you’ll get a chance to shape the next technological evolution.
GET CREATIVE
If you choose to pursue a career in digital media, no two days at work will be the same. When putting together digital content, you’ll need to problem-solve and collaborate with experts in different fields to create innovative solutions. Although digital media is built using technology, it also depends heavily on interactions with consumers, which will definitely keep you on your toes.
STAY FLEXIBLE
Along with the more obvious career opportunities in entertainment and content publishing, digital media skills can be an asset in dozens of other industries. If you’re interested in working in the non-profit, health, education, sports, or environment sectors, knowledge of digital media could come in handy when it comes to sharing information and engaging with new audiences. In fact, your digital media career path could lead to a job that doesn’t even exist yet.
BECOME A LEADER IN THE FIELD
Are you the next Steve Jobs? Have you always wanted to create your own app? Studying digital media is great preparation for the technology entrepreneurs of the future. In the rapidly changing digital space, you’ll need both the technical and theoretical skills to make your ideas a reality.
EDUCATION PATHWAYS
Most digital media professionals combine a tertiary-level qualification with on-the-job training. Formal study provides an essential theoretical overview of this varied industry, while also offering experience through practical projects, internships and industry collaborations. Relevant options include:
STUDENT STORIES
Sumedha Gupta is a graduate of the Master of Information Technology at Flinders University. She enjoyed the flexibility and pace of the degree, as it helped her understand some of the more complex concepts.
“This course is open for everyone. It starts from some fundamental knowledge and then gradually goes through the advanced level,” she says. “There are lots of options for subjects provided, like game development, digital media, [and] computer programming, and it gave me lots of opportunities to work in Australia as well as in India.”
Another graduate, Nadine Saadi, was offered a job thanks to the industry connections at Flinders University.
“I had a nice relationship with all my lecturers. They were committed to helping you out with everything, especially if you showed that you cared about your work,” she says. “[The university] organised for me to go to Flinders Partners to work on software for innovation management. I was so pleased when they offered me a full-time position.”
WANT TO STUDY FOR A FUTURE CAREER IN DIGITAL MEDIA?
Studying at Adelaide’s Flinders University will help set you up for a stellar career in digital media. At Flinders University, you’ll get the chance to develop your skills by using cutting-edge technologies in the classroom and even working with actors, directors and filmmakers through the screen studies department.
Flinders University was awarded five stars in Mathematics for learner engagement, learning resources, overall experience, skills development, student support, and teaching quality by the Good Universities Guide in 2019. It also ranks in the top 400 worldwide for Physical Sciences, including Mathematics & Statistics according to the THE Subject Rankings in 2018. Find out more on the Flinders University website.
