Acing the “A” in STEAM Education: 4 Cool Jobs Where Arts Is Essential

Graduates of STEAM programs that have focused on mastering the “A” for Art are finding their creative talents are more valuable than ever in the current job landscape, with STEAM education a perfect opportunity for honing a highly desirable mix of skills in both design, technology and science fields.

Today’s consumers are big fans of aesthetics and functionality, and major companies have great successes over the last few years with powerful gadgets that also include ingenious design and excellent craftsmanship. Probably the most notorious of these is Apple – whose mix of technology and design boils over a secret sauce for success and inspires both makers and consumers across the globe.

STEAM education graduates who’ve focused on mastering a mix of Arts with other desired fields like engineering, science and technology have a bright future and a great range of career opportunities. Here’s our list of some of the coolest STEAM jobs for people with an artist’s flare!

Make interactive worlds as a Game Developers

Spoilt by the technology revolution, gamers nowadays have high expectations. Whether playing on their mobile, consoles or PC, gamers are seeking new levels of engagement and immersion. Some of the biggest investments in gaming is in the field of Virtual Reality (VR), which is driving new game experiences and hardware including some of the coolest gadgets that we’ve ever seen. VR has been around for decades, but its only now with the mix of powerful devices and peripherals that its accessible to the masses seeking deeper immersion and new entertainment experiences. And it’s not just VR, but also AR or Augmented Reality games like the ginormous Pokémon Go that are seeing speedy adoption and growth.For the creatives among us, the market for AR/VR and games in general is so huge that the job prospects for creatives like game producers, 3D artists, concept artists, game designers, animators and musicians is booming. Get your game on!

Build the next wonder as a Modern Architect

In the field of architecture, building the impossible is becoming the new status quo.  Urban planners and architects have invented so many ways to craft towers and skyscrapers that they’ve started to challenge real-world physics. Take a look at the Crystal, in London. Owned and operated by Siemens, this architectural beauty made it to many top 10 lists of futuristic buildings because of its daring angles and seemingly abstract structure. Who knows? If flying cars become a thing, maybe we’ll get to see hovering buildings in the near future.

Get into automation and be a Robotics Designer

Many of us have undeniable curiosity for robots, and the field of robotics is getting really close to turning many of the coolest robots we see in movies and animation into reality. Recent advancements in robotics are edging closer to realizing humanoid robots with a somewhat unrefined but still uncanny likeness to ourselves. In the not too distant future, these and smaller drone like bots of the likes of Wall-E and BB-8may be commonplace in society from assuming remedial tasks like house work and home deliveries to providing caregiving and companion services, medical assistance or rescue services. The type of robot aside, the more they become commonplace in society, industrial designers, 3D artists, fashion designers and related creatives will be needed to create friendly robot designs and accessories, including clothes for our humanoid counterparts! Checkout Hanson Roboticsbut the famous robot designer Dr. David Hansonfor a sneak peek into the not so distant future.

Give life to imagination as a 3D Artist

Majority of the things that we use and love come from a long line of designs, prototypes and 3D models. And for 3D artists, it seems the sky’s the limit nowadays as 3D modelers (and animators) work across many fields including industrial design, science, gaming, medicine and many more. Designers, scientists and engineers not only rely on 3D modelling more than ever, but they use realistic computer simulations to test their designs, showcase ideas, simulate usage cases, run data driven simulations and more! Throw the 3D printing industry explosion into the mix and the future is looking brighter than ever for 3D artists, and not just on an industrial design and consumer goods level, but also to create 3D sculptures and related art as a whole new medium. Checkout Josh Harker, an up and coming 3D print artists gaining some notoriety.

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Arts has grown to be an “A-lister” in STEAM fields and careers. Our list of cool jobs are just a few samples, and so many other opportunities abound for STEAM Education graduates with a mastery of Arts.