Considering becoming a UX/UI Designer? With this field being among the most trending and developing careers of the future, the opportunities for students interested in this route are plentiful.

In fact, the job outlook for this industry is projected to grow by 15% - much faster than the average - within the next decade.

So what does it take to thrive in UX/UI design? Success in this profession requires the unique ability to strike a balance between an eye for design, an intuitive understanding of how people operate and an interest in technological development. If a dynamic and progressive career in the digital space that involves improving user interaction with the web sounds fulfilling to you, the UX/UI profession could be the perfect path.

A Day in the Life

Though the two concepts are closely connected, UX and UI design serve two different functions that work together to ultimately provide users with the most optimal, user-friendly digital experience. While UX refers to the user experience, or how people can easily navigate and interact with a digital space, UI, or user interface, focuses primarily on creating an aesthetically pleasing layout design.

“Think of UX as the way a car drives, shifts gears or protects you in an accident and UI as the color and design of that car. A UX designer ensures a product makes sense to the user by creating a path that logically flows from one step to the next. A UI designer ensures each page visually communicates that path.” - Matthew Cogswell, Senior Art Director and UX/UI designer at Modop‍

So how can you summarize a day in the life? Varied, collaborative, and equal parts creative and systematic.

Intrigued? Here’s How to Get There:

Because of the complexity of this career, a solid educational foundation is required to be successful and stand out amongst the competition. A minimum of a two year degree is typically expected, though many professionals in this industry hold a postgraduate degree. Though the educational demands can be high, so are the rewards: this career has the potential to be highly lucrative and secure with opportunities available all over the world. Fortunately, introductory online courses are available for those who are curious and simply want to learn more about this industry but are unsure or not ready to commit to long-term education investments.

Become a PathMatch client to find out if this is the path for you, get an insider's look at what employers look for in UX/UI Designers, and how you can best prep to land the job.

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