Have you seen the "More than just pushing pixels" banner that Langara has taken out on the right hand side of our blog? It's for their Electronic Media Design Program, a one year full-time program from which many students have, immediately upon graduation, gone on to work at some of the top design firms and ad agencies in Vancouver and abroad.
We wanted to offer them more than a simple banner ad so we invited them to write a blog post about the program, and about some notable graduates from it. Have a read below and get inspired!
For over eight years, the Electronic Media Design Program has been pushing the boundaries of effective design within electronic media. We are constantly keeping up-to-date with technology, software and design trends. With a vocational focus, professionals are brought in as instructors to share real-world case studies to better prepare our students for today's competitive design industry.
We take pride in ensuring students have access to the training that is required for their chosen areas of interest, regardless of their previous experience when entering the program. One of our former EMD students, Ryan Ilg, had some personal and professional experience building websites prior to applying. Within a few weeks of completing the program, Ryan was hired by Free Agency Creative, a local design firm in Vancouver. Now freelancing full-time, he has had the privilege of working along-side designers for such clients as Arc'teryx, Adam Blasberg Photography and Native Shoes, to name a few. He noted that one of the highlights of his career is getting referrals and recognition from well-known design agencies and companies around town, most of which he has never met in person. It is always a pleasant surprise to find out who knows about you and appreciates your work.
Another great success story is that of Yaz Jallad, who came into the program with no design experience. Shortly after completing the program, Yaz was hired by Engine Digital, and has recently joined the team at Noise Digital. When we spoke with Yaz about his career so far, he said, "I think the biggest achievement for me was while working for Engine, I was able to work my way up from a JR Noob to being a big part of the development team and process. There is no more satisfying feeling than being able to learn, evolve and be a contributing part of a team. I owe a lot to Richard and Kele for whipping me into shape." Yaz has also had the opportunity to work with some great clients, such as the Vancouver Canucks. In response to his thoughts on the program, he said, "I always felt grateful for EMD exposing me to so many different aspects of the industry. It really made working at an agency a little easier because I already knew how things worked and got done. During my time freelancing is where I felt EMD helped me the most. When it comes to how business is done and how to get your creative ideas flushed out, taking feedback and turning it into a positive and being able to present your ideas involves a lot of know-how and insight."
We are very excited to introduce our most recent crop of EMD grads who will be completing their year of hard work in August. They have been collaborating on a unique grad show project, with less than a month until they present.
Eight designers present A Moment in Type; an amazing snapshot of the City of Vancouver explored through movement and design. Vancouver is revealed in a way that no one has ever seen before. People—through their interactions—help make a city what it is. Over the span of two weeks, these designers mapped out all the places they travelled. It only seemed fitting to represent every path using excerpts from Ulysses by James Joyce; a story that explores a day in the life of its characters and their interactions and movements within the city.
This map displays the connection between all eight designers; despite their differences in personality and nationality, they all cross paths and have similar navigation habits. To present this grand connection, they have created a book, poster and animated video. A Moment in Type will be revealed on the evening of August 8th at 1181 Lounge. This project will be documented on the website amomentintype.com.
Interested in learning more? We don't blame you! We are still accepting applications for the September 2011 intake. www.langara.bc.ca/emd
