Choosing design as a career is a passion felt decision, often guided by talent and the need to be creative. This is often a need not well understood by parents of creatives, who may themselves not have been exposed to this industry or way of thinking. To top off the confusion, the introduction of ‘future’ careers, that typical 40-55-year olds (our parents) in 2017 have not encountered, make guiding this life changing decision of our children all the more daunting.

As a parent of a student, I thought it useful to share, the top three questions parents of our applicants ask:

1. Will my child get a job?
2. Is the institution internationally recognized?
3. Can my child transfer to another town?

The simple answer to all the above, is a resounding yes, yes and yes. Let me elaborate.

1. Will my child get a job?

According to tracer studies that are conducted annually by the institution as a requirement by the Council on Higher Education, 93% of graduates from Inscape can expect to be employed in the design industry within three months of graduating. A further 5% continue with postgraduate studies in related fields. The remaining 2% find employment after three months.

A study conducted of Inscape graduates over a ten-year period indicates that Inscape graduates consistently earn more than the averages indicated on websites such as payscale.com and indeed.com. According to these websites, the average annual income currently for a design graduate in South Africa is R101 632.94. Inscape graduates are earning an average of R126 000 per annum in Gauteng and an average of R141 000 per annum in Cape Town. Our highest earners receive R210 000 or more per annum and make up 7% of the graduates of 2016.

Graphic Design graduates typically earn more as a starting salary than any other design discipline. However, with just a few years’ experience, Interior Designers and Fashion Designers will generally surpass their Graphics counterparts significantly.

The average period of time spent per job is 23 months, as designers climb the ladder from junior positions to more senior design positions and management quickly.

2. Is the institution internationally recognized?

Inscape is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), it’s qualifications are accredited by The Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). As a result, the qualification is therefore internationally recognized. Should a graduate of Inscape wish to continue with further studies internationally, an alignment of the qualification with SAQA is possible through the regulatory body in that respective country.

The decision by Inscape to offer the Bachelor of Design (we are the only institution in South Africa to offer this qualification) instead of a typical Bachelor of Arts degree is to further align with international standards of some of the top design institutions globally. It is therefore imperative that when comparing our qualification with those of other institutions to research beyond the borders of South Africa to fully understand the core fundamentals of this qualification.

Inscape have established a global network of partnerships to promote the Inscape qualifications of our graduates as a quality product internationally. We have signed agreements with agencies from a number of international countries.

Our global network extends further to an established student exchange program with institutions including; Thomas More University in Mechelen, Belgium and MediaDesign Hochschülle in Berlin, Dusseldorf and Munich.

Inscape was recently awarded an award of appreciation for promotion of quality education and student mobility by The United Arab Emirates, Government of Fujairah – Human Resources.

3. Can my child transfer to another town?

Our campuses are modern, design sensitive spaces that are well located and easily accessible by public transport. Safety of our students is a priority and we invest in each campus to ensure, as best we can to provide the security required in our urban environments. Our curriculum is quality assured across all sites of delivery to ensure graduates of Inscape excel in industry. The standardization of curriculum across the sites enables students to easily transfer between campuses with little to no learning lost. Transferring from one campus to another, however, should not be taken lightly. We do find that the support system of family and friends is of great benefit to the success of our students. The most successful transfers are those when an entire family relocates (usually work related) and the student transfers as a result.

The opportunities presented to Inscape students as a result of ease of movement, student exchange programs, global networks and industry relevant content are definitely great opportunities that are unique to the institution.

These are just some of the ways we benefit the holistic learning of each individual at Inscape to assist them in reaching their full potential in society.

To see for yourself, experience the wow factor that makes our tribe unique and find out more about the details of life at Inscape, please join us at our Open Days on the 18^th and 19^th August 2017 at any one of our campuses in Cape Town, Durban, Midrand or Pretoria. 

Helen Bührs is the Managing Director of Inscape Education Group, the founding member of Inscape Exchange, a non-profit organisation responsible for funding scholarships to academically deserving but financially challenged individuals, and a wife and mother to four children ages 19, 16, 7 and 5.

She deals very well with ambiguity and open-ended solutions, implements and enforces structure on chaos, manages change by having a logical solution and planning for the unexpected, strives to do the right thing as objectively as possible, is extremely passionate and has a positive outlook and hope for the future.