SCAD: 91% of grads working in field (Atlanta, Savannah: 2013, job market, schools)

[Newsboy]

The Savannah College of Art and Design says a new study that examined the employment rate of its Spring Class of 2012 shows that 91 percent of combined undergraduate and graduate respondents report being employed, pursuing further education or both within nine months of graduation.

SCAD: 91% of grads working or pursuing more education within 9 months - Atlanta Business Chronicle

[CoastalGAGuy]

Actually, the number quoted was 86% of the grads working in their field. From the original PR source:

The study is conducted by SCAD's office of institutional effectiveness to garner a better understanding of the career path of recent graduates.

Perhaps that should be revised to read: "The study is conducted by SCAD's office of institutional effectiveness to produce material to combat third-party reports that cite a consistently large gap between graduate salaries and the amount needing to be earned to actually pay off the cost of their SCAD education."

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

Actually, the number quoted was 86% of the grads working in their field. From the original PR source:
Perhaps that should be revised to read: "The study is conducted by SCAD's office of institutional effectiveness to produce material to combat third-party reports that cite a consistently large gap between graduate salaries and the amount needing to be earned to actually pay off the cost of their SCAD education."

LOL. I hope it is true, though. Thank God my kids went to state schools.

[WanderingImport]

I wonder how many of those grads working in their respective fields have stayed in Savannah?

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

I wonder how many of those grads working in their respective fields have stayed in Savannah?

Very few if you consider how many of the jobs would be available in a city of the size of Savannah. Ellie brought this issue to the table in another thread.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by pink caddy

Very few if you consider how many of the jobs would be available in a city of the size of Savannah. Ellie brought this issue to the table in another thread.

As I think I mentioned before. My son's GF has a master's in Architecture from SCAD, but does not want to move to NYC or LA, so can't get a job in Savannah in her field. That's her choice, though.

[WanderingImport]

That's too bad. If only the powers that be could recruit more effectively jobs that retain SCAD students.

[pink caddy]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

That's too bad. If only the powers that be could recruit more effectively jobs that retain SCAD students.

How do you do that (having SCAD recruit) without the critical mass of advertising agencies, film studios, architectural firms, design firms located in Savannah?

What many people see in Savannah are those students that stayed here and now are employed in the tourist service business. Not many people see those that have left Savannah for NYC, LA, CHI and are employed in firms doing what they are skilled at.

BTW there are two highly rated art schools located in the U.S. One in Rhode Island and SCAD. Those two schools, from what I know, are the two most respected schools in the country/world.

[sf2k4]

I'm contemplating going back to school at SCAD to get an MFA in either Service Design, Design Management, or Industrial Design.

[CoastalGAGuy]

That's too bad. If only the powers that be could recruit more effectively jobs that retain SCAD students.

That's like saying there isn't a good enough job market for veterinarians in Athens, GA , or agricultural scientists in State College, PA. While at a basic level, it's true that these college towns don't have a lot to offer the minions of specialized graduates of their programs in terms of career choices, no one is saying it's a travesty, as there are lots of other opportunities in other places for these much needed and diversified fields of work.

Art school is different. No one "needs" art in the same way that we "need" food. If I had a TV show, I'd be getting letters about saying that. Still, I don't really care. It's the truth. And, I work (and always have worked) in a trade SCAD focuses on, so I'm hardly biased against the arts.

I can't speak for the industrial market demand for fibers or painting majors (although one can probably safely assume it's lower per capita than the demand for scientists, engineers and the like). But, in the film production world, there just aren't enough jobs at the top of all the departments in all of the commercial motion pictures in production at any given moment to demand anything but the absolutely most motivated, most talented and/or most connected film school graduates... Graduates who have paid significant dues in terms of time, money and even pride, in climbing those department ladders from project to project.

And, despite SCAD having a good and well-respected program in this area, it's definitely not the best regarded one out there. So, as a recent SCAD film school graduate, you're working from a disadvantaged position of likely being broke from overpaying for your education, and knocking on well-worn doors in other markets. You had better LOVE what you do, and be willing to SACRIFICE for it. That means taking a job well under what you think your degree "entitles" you to. Usually, that means Production Assistant. And, that's a job you don't need a college degree to aspire toward. But it is one that requires a lot of initiative to progress past or even merely just to hold onto. I hope you still have some money left, because if you're going to stick it out, you're probably going to be broke for awhile.

I'm pretty sure it would go against SCAD's own interests to tell their students the truth about how you "make it in Hollywood." Very little of it has to do with your educational pedigree or what state-of-the-art whatever you got to play with in school. It's much more about sweat, hustle, initiative and a good disposition, and I don't think those are class titles at any institution that I've heard of. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink, and SCAD does a good job of leading a horse to water. They just conveniently forget to tell their student customers that it's actually a frigid, raging river that they have to cross.