What are many design firms looking for in an employee?

[blue27343]

I was not sure if this should go under education or not, but I am considering Westlawn or the Landing School for design and had a couple questions. I am about to graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a major in industrial design and a minor in marine design and am trying to plan out my next move.

So with that in mind;
1. Are most companies looking for candidates who have either a naval architecture degree or a dedicated yacht design diploma from a school like this? (would this be worth the 1-2 years and the money?)

2. I have looked around this forum a bit and do not notice lots of design jobs in the US. Is this a dying area in the states? Would I complete an education in a specific field which I will in all likelihood not be working in?

Basically I am trying to get a feel for what employers in this area are looking for, if they are looking at all....

Thanks,
Matt

[Stratiegery01]

Hey hey,
I also graduated from SCAD and I have worked professionally with several people from the Landing School.

If you are still in school now and are looking specifically for jobs within the US, then you should get used to applying for commercial craft companies; they seem to be the only ones doing business right now. Pleasure craft companies were hit hard everywhere, same with yacht builders, so when applying to those type companies make sure you have a good personal contact. SCAD has a good relationship with SeaRay for example.

The Landing School in Maine has a very good reputation for boatbuilers, and admit tingly, my company had to break some of their habits they learned in school because realistically their skills did not mesh with "high-performance" applications. My former supervisor was a design grad from Landing School and had some good knowledge to work as a production shop draftsman, NOT as a designer.

If you are serious about designing hulls and what not, then a naval architecture degree is your only way. The Southhampton school in the UK is the world recognized "best" boat design school. However, lately the only jobs those grads get now is working on oil tankers and navy ships. There are several other good naval architecture schools in Sweeden, Denmark, and "Webb School" in NY i think.

Best of luck to you,
-SR

Do´nt forget one of the better:

http://www.tu-harburg.de/studium/programme/bachelor/sb/

[naval ark]

Originally Posted by Stratiegery01

The Southampton school in the UK is the world recognized "best" boat design school.

Are you referring to the Yacht and Powercraft Design course at Solent Uni or the general Ship Science at Southampton Uni?

[Alik]

Westlawn and Landing school are not taught by naval architcects with degree, they give less than 50% of knowledge NA needs. Maybe it is enough to design a boat, but hardly enough for more serious craft. Of course, many graduates of those are self taught and are succesfull in the field. But study programmes of those institutions are missing very important courses for professional design/engineering career.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by naval ark

Are you referring to the Yacht and Powercraft Design course at Solent Uni or the general Ship Science at Southampton Uni?

Is that the one that designed the "Mary Rose" you know the battle ship that rolled over and sank in front of Henry 8th while he was eating a bowl of jellied eels in the Solent.

They opened the gun doors and a bit of breeze got up. glug glug