Education
The Australian automotive industry is a small player in world terms. That doesn't change the fact that Australian-trained designers are recognised throughout the international automotive design community for their creativity and 'can do' work ethic.
At any given time, you'll find Holden designers working on assignment in GM-affiliated studios in the USA, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Germany and Brazil, to name a few. And at GM Holden HQ in Melbourne, Australia, a similarly multicultural bunch of skilled practitioners respond to Design staff rollcall.
So how did they equip themselves to enter this attractive, highly specialised field of work? It's a question we're often asked. These days, the main route is via tertiary study. The most common degree requirement for many Holden Design disciplines is a Bachelor of Industrial Design.
To give you some examples, most Clay Modelling team members are qualified Industrial Designers, although the degree is not a prerequisite. Some have backgrounds in pattern-making and fabrication; all are talented modellers. Most Digital Sculptors, previously drawn from the ranks of Engineering Draughtsmen or Clay Modellers, also have Industrial Design degrees. Visualisation team members, on the other hand, have multimedia qualifications.
Colour and Trim personnel typically have creative design backgrounds and degrees in related fields such as Textile Design (the most common), Fashion Design and Graphic Design. Finally, Fabrication offers opportunities for those with more general trade skills, great aptitude and hands-on capability in metal and wood work.
Australian universities offering Industrial Design degree courses include:
Victoria
MONASH UNIVERSITY
RMIT UNIVERSITY
SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
New South Wales
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY
UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Australian Capital Territory
UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA
South Australia
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Queensland
QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
