Got skills, but not experience?
Out of context: Reply #13
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- nocomply0
Haven't read any of the responses but....
I graduated in 04 with a degree in "Interdisciplinary Computing & the Arts," which was basically a fancy way for UCSD to say "digital art" or "graphic design" or something like that.
At the time I graduated, I was very upset with the schooling I received. I had been taught very little in terms of real-world skills. Most of the courses were theory based, and the emphasis was heavy on conceptual art rather than design. Back then and even now, these things don't really interest me.
To compensate, I worked hard on my own time to develop skills in HTML, Photoshop, Flash, etc.... I did this mostly because I enjoyed it, but also because I knew it was these skills I would use to get a job when I graduated. Once I graduated and got a job, I started to learn all about CSS. Coworkers helped me out a lot with the stuff that was new to me.
So yeah, it kind of sucked that school didn't prepare me for the real job market, but honestly I think the best way to learn this stuff is either on your own or on the job. I don't think universities are really meant to teach these types of skills. Things like HTML and actionscript are better suited for a trade school. I can say that now, being out of school for nearly 5 years, but I remember how frustrated I was when I graduated and I feel your pain.
So my advice would be to pursue what you enjoy, no matter if it's in school or outside of school. That's basically what I did and it's worked out so far.