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Graphic design is a great career choice for people who have an eye for design, keen attention to detail and love to flex their creative muscles through drawing, painting or any other creative medium.  

There are a variety of different jobs available in the graphic design industry. If you’ve been considering a career in graphic design, you might be surprised to discover just how many types of jobs are out there.  

This means that you’ll have opportunities to try your hand at different forms of graphic design, which will allow you to find a job that you can truly excel at.  

Read on to discover the different types of jobs in graphic design in Australia and which career path could be right for you.

What does ‘graphic design’ mean? 

To understand what a Graphic Designer does, let’s first take a look at what’s meant by ‘graphic design’.  

Graphic design is everywhere we look, in all aspects of our lives, across art, marketing, technology, customer service and many other areas. The purpose of graphic design is to help customers understand a concept through the use of images instead of words. This could be in the form of a brand logo, a safety notice, a web page or a billboard ad.  

What does a Graphic Designer do? 

Writers use words to tell a story. But Graphic Designers use images.  

A Graphic Designer is a visual communicator. As a Graphic Designer, you’ll work with a variety of media such as images, animation, photography and typography to create compelling pieces of design that clearly communicate a message to an audience. You will need to discuss projects and requirements with clients, provide costs, create drafts and use specialist design software. You may also find that you’ll need to make things happen within strict budgets and deadlines, depending on the work and the client.  

Graphic Designers can work in-house, for an agency or as freelancers. You may find that you prefer to work as an in-house Graphic Designer and work for a single brand. Or you may enjoy the variety of a creative agency where you get to work with different clients. Another option is to become your own boss and start your own graphic design business.

Is graphic design a good career choice? 

For those who’ve always had an interest in creative pursuits, graphic design can be a fulfilling and interesting career choice. It’s also well suited to those who have an interest in technology, as graphic design is an industry that’s always been driven by innovation and new developments in technology.  

Graphic design is also a growing industry with plenty of opportunities for skilled professionals. According to the government’s Job Outlook website, the number of people working as Graphic Designers, Web Designers and Illustrators grew from 49,800 in 2014 to 55,700 in 2019. That means that there were more than 1,000 jobs created every year for five years.  

According to the Australian Industry and Skills Commission (AISC), this trend is set to continue and there will be plenty of opportunities for Graphic Designers, Web Designers and Illustrators. While the AISC sees a downward trend in more traditional design jobs such as Screen Printers and Graphic Pre-Press Workers, there’s a definite positive outlook for designers who can keep up with the changing landscape of the modern workforce. This is one reason why it’s so important to upskill and stay ahead of industry trends, so you don’t get left behind.  

The average salary for a Designer is around $1,346 per week. This is quite similar to the national average, but as you continue to gain experience throughout your career you can expect your salary to reflect your skills.

8 Different jobs you can pursue in graphic design 

Graphic Designer can be a general term that’s used to describe a range of different roles. And as a Graphic Designer, your daily tasks will depend on the specific job role you choose and whether you decide to specialise. 

Here are just some of the different jobs in graphic design you could pursue: 

1. Brand and Logo Designer 

Every business needs a clear identity. As a Brand Designer, you will work with clients to help create a brand and logo that expresses their key message and business values. 

2. Web/Digital Designer 

If you enjoy working with technology, you may want to specialise in web design. This can include planning the layout of a web page, creating graphics for web pages and more. 

3. 3D Illustrator 

3D assets can be used in many ways. They could be created for a presentation of a new product, architectural designs could be drawn in 3D to show concepts more clearly, 3D illustrations could be created for use in animations and more. 

4. Package Designer 

As a package designer, you’ll be involved in the design and physical construction of packaging for various products. You’ll need to consider not just visual appeal, but materials and ergonomics, too. 

5. Marketing Graphic Designer 

As a Marketing Graphic Designer, you can help marketing teams create a range of different assets, such as posters, infographics, social media graphics, images for blogs, brochures and email marketing templates. 

6. Motion Graphic Designer 

This is an area that has grown substantially in recent years and involves moving graphics. Motion Graphic Designers create graphics for TV, movies and the web. This could include things like trailers, commercials, title sequences, gifs or videos.  

7. Set Designer 

If you love movies, TV and plays you could consider becoming a Set Designer. Set Designers and Prop Designers work closely with other people on set to create backdrops and props that create the perfect atmosphere for a particular scene. 

8. Editorial Designer 

Editorial Designers work with both print and online books and magazines. They create eye-catching covers, ensure that the layout of the piece works for the right format and decide on the style of typography. 

Do I need to be good at drawing to be a Graphic Designer? 

To become an Accountant, you don’t need to be a maths genius. And to become a Graphic Designer, you don’t have to be an award-winning artist. Having an eye for design certainly helps. But this doesn’t mean you need to be the next Frieda Kahlo.  

Obtaining a VET qualification in graphic design can help your career prospects. Studying the CUA50715 Diploma of Graphic Design will introduce you to a range of different design concepts, and will teach you the skills and knowledge you need to get started in the world of graphic design.  

Throughout this course, you’ll develop a portfolio of work which will showcase your creativity and ideas, and which you can use to demonstrate your skills to prospective employers or clients. You’ll also learn about creating and manipulating graphics, typography, producing 3D designs and the art of user experience (UX).  

What are you waiting for? Enrol with OC today and discover just where your career in graphic design could take you.