Industrial Designer

OFO No: 216302

Other names for Industrial Designer:

What is an Industrial Designer?

Industrial Designers design and create products.  It’s important that the product is functional and easy to use.  It must be designed with the end-user in mind.

Industrial Designers may specialise in a particular field:

Furniture Designers:  design and create pieces for mass manufacture for domestic as well as commercial use.

Appliance Designers:  design and create products and appliances, for example:

White goods:  washing machines, dishwashers, fridges etc 
Household:  toasters, irons, vacuum cleaners etc 
Electronic: computers, laptops, pads, phones, ipods, etc

Vehicle/Transport Designers:  design and create all forms of transport from saloon cars to trucks, trains etc
Miscellaneous Designers:  design and create anything from funky soup spoons to innovative garden hoses etc and everything in between!

What does an Industrial Designer do?

• meetswith clients or manufacturers to discuss product to be designed
• researches the market for the product
• makes sure the approach to design factors in how the product will be used
• makes preliminary drawings
• makes proto-types and testing them in the environment it is intended to be used
• making adjustments
• once perfected – sends technical drawings to manufacturing department
• proposes new products they have invented/improved upon
• keeps up to date with trends and needs the market

Are you … ?

• creative and artistic?
• innovative?
• a person who can imagine in 3d?
• practical?
• logical?
• empathic?
• artistic and creative, yet practical
• a good communicator?
• technical?
• a person with engineering knowledge?
• able to handle rejection?
• a person who understands what’s marketable?

How do I become an Industrial Designer?

PATH 1

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

National Diploma in Textile Technology 

National Diploma in 3D Design

Durban University of Technology

National Diploma in Textile Design & Technology

National Diploma in Textile Technology

National Diploma in 3D Design

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

National Diploma in Textile Design & Technology

National Diploma in Ceramic Design

Tshwane University of Technology

National Diploma in 3D Design

National Diploma in Textile Design & Technology

University of Johannesburg

National Diploma in 3D Design

 National Diploma in Ceramic Design

Vaal University of Technology

National Diploma in Ceramic Design

PATH 2

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Textile Technology 

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Industrial Design

Central University of Technology

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Ceramic Design

Durban University of Technology

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Textile Design & Technology

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Textile Technology

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Textile Design & Technology

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Ceramic Design

Tshwane University of Technology

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Textile Design & Technology

University of Johannesburg

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Industrial Design

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Ceramic Design

Vaal University of Technology

BTech (Bachelor of Technology) in Ceramic Design

PATH 3

Bachelor degree in Industrial Design

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education. 
• CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions. 

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER:  Furniture Designer … or … Set Designer 

Is becoming an Industrial Designer the right career choice for me?