Industrial Designers plan, design, develop and document industrial, commercial or consumer products for manufacture with particular emphasis on ergonomic (human) factors, marketing considerations and manufacturability, and prepares designs and specifications of products for mass or batch production.

Skill Level

1

Alternative Titles

• Product Designer

Specialisations

• Ceramic Designer
• Furniture Designer
• Glass Designer
• Textile Designer

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Industrial Designer is Vocational & Education Training Assessment (VETASSESS). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• Qualification assessed at AQF Bachelor degree or higher in a highly relevant field of study AND at least one year of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years

OR

• Qualification assessed at AQF Bachelor degree or higher WITH an additional qualification at AQF Diploma level in a highly relevant field of study AND at least two years of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years

OR

• Qualification assessed at AQF Bachelor degree or higher WITHOUT a highly relevant field of study AND at least three years of post-qualification highly relevant employment at an appropriate skill level in the last five years
• Applicants must meet both the qualification and employment requirements to obtain a positive skills assessment
• This occupation requires a qualification in:
  • Industrial Design
  • Design – covering studies in Product Design, Ergonomics, Sustainability and Design, Design Drawing, Prototype Construction, Creative Technologies, and Design, Innovation and Technology
• If the Applicant is self-employed, they must provide the following:
  • Evidence of self-employment i.e. business registration details
  • Statutory declaration listing main duties
  • Payment evidence of regular income
  • Supplementary evidence i.e. contracts with suppliers or clients, client testimonials

Plan, design, develop and document products for manufacture and prepare designs and specifications of products for mass, batch and one-off production.

Tasks

• Determining the objectives and constraints of the design brief by consulting with clients and stakeholders
• Undertaking product research and analysing functional, commercial, cultural and aesthetic requirements
• Formulating design concepts for clothing, textiles, industrial, commercial and consumer products, and jewellery
• Preparing sketches, diagrams, illustrations, plans, samples and models to communicate design concepts
• Negotiating design solutions with clients, management, and sales and manufacturing staff
• Selecting, specifying and recommending functional and aesthetic materials, production methods and finishes for manufacture
• Detailing and documenting the selected design for production
• Preparing and commissioning prototypes and samples
• Supervising the preparation of patterns, programs and tooling, and the manufacture process

Skill Level

In Australia and New Zealand:

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor’s degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). At least five years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification. In some instances, relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.

Occupations in this Group

• 232311 Fashion Designer
• 232312 Industrial Designer
• 232313 Jewellery Designer