Slowdown designs a new path for students

Companies forced to innovate and look for cost-effective products and services.

Students of design are set to benefit from the current economic slowdown, as it is forcing companies to innovate and look for cost-effective products and services. Institutes like National Institute of Design (NID) and DSK International Institute of Industrial Design, Animation and Gaming are expecting more recruitments, especially in product design.

According to AS Kolaskar, managing director of DSK, the demand for designers even in the current scenario could be as high as 10,000 over the next five years. “Although there is such a meltdown in the economy, we don’t see much impact on design. Companies have been on the lookout for designers who can offer innovative ways to reduce cost and yet increase marketability of their products and services,” says Kolaskar.

Prominent among the design verticals is product design, followed by apparel and auto. Both industrial and consumer product makers are paying attention to this, which is good news for DSK students.

It is a similar account at NID. According to Mihir Bholey, activity vice-chairperson at NID: “Even if an industry is in bad shape due to recession, design is a different kind of profession, which makes the students competent enough to create business opportunities for themselves and for others, through design intervention in any given situation. Unlike management students, design students drive the industry, instead of being industry-driven. At NID this year, the number of industries that appeared during interface were comparatively less, but enough to absorb those students who appeared.”

Experts say the scope is extensive. For instance, Finland has one designer for every 500 citizens, while India has one designer for every 3 million, says Kolaskar.

Even in apparel design, institutes like National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) have been witnessing better packages during placements. According to Benaya Bhushan Jena, faculty member at NIFT, Gandhinagar, the annual packages have improved by over 20 per cent.

“The apparel sector cannot be 100 per cent capital intensive and, hence, lays a lot of emphasis on human resources. Design students can play a major role here in bailing out the textile sector during slowdown. Innovative methods like use of organic materials, green design and technical textiles are being taken up by design students, which help the industry register better profits,” says Jena.