A study from Think Education has revealed that young designers and creatives are twice as likely to struggle with a lack of industry connections to help them get ahead in the game.
Around one in five (18.5 per cent) believe that this is their main obstacle in starting up, compared with 9.8 per cent of young workers across other industries.
The survey reportedly polled 1500 workers aged 18-35.
It unveiled a few truths about young creatives, who appear more likely to want to be at the top of the ladder in their career.
Almost a quarter (24.2 per cent) of creative industry workers surveyed said they “want to be the boss”, as opposed to just 15 per cent generally.
Those in design and creative fields surveyed felt: more likely to have felt they have progressed over the last year (69.4 per cent compared to 53.5 per cent generally); more likely to expect progress in the next 12 months (77.7 per cent, compared to 68.3 per cent generally); more likely to have implied their role is more senior, or that they earn more than they do (42.7 per cent compared to 32.1 per cent generally); and less motivated by the opportunity to earn more money (43.4 per cent rank this as the number one motivation, compared with 53.4 per cent generally).
Think Education executive dean of design Professor Helmut Lueckenhausen believes that the study shows confidence among young designers and creative industry professionals.
“It’s encouraging to see that young designers and creatives are confident about their career opportunities, and that they are more likely to have a plan for getting ahead.”
Lueckenhausen does encourage workers in this fields to make better industry connections in order to help strengthen longevity in their career.
“In an increasingly competitive and global marketplace, it’s vital that young people find ways to network and make meaningful connections. In my view, further education can play a very valuable role in this process. Not only can you gain new skills and experience, but it can also be a great place to meet talented colleagues, and make strong connections with industry leaders and experts.”