Design & Crisis

Hi friends,

as everybody knows since 6 months we are in a deep and complicated economic global crisis. It all started in US with the bad management of "subprime financial products". With the fall of the bank system an incredible domino effect occurred touching almost every country on earth. Everybody is concerned by this fast crisis that in a short period of time provoked a transversal collapse. High rate of job's loss from US to Russia passing by Europe and India, China and Japan. The automobile industry is one of the most depressed sector of activities suppliers included.

How all this is affecting design and designers life?

Some auto makers have been forced to close their design studios antennas in US or Europe and we have designers that lost their job, all automakers are trying their best to survive with severe cost reduction plans to create their "cash flow" and companies like GM are almost ready to close (US government is helping). Even Toyota, one of the safest and reachest car company on earth, is in crisis!

Honestly I do not know how all this is going to end up and in how much time, some important economic analysts say that in 2013 we will have a slow improvement to get out of this crisis.Lets say 3 or 5 years totally?

Many design students searching for internship are facing up this crisis because often design studios cannot offer internships this year, what to do? In this case I suggest to specialize in their design field following a Master Program, this option will let students use this time to get a better professional experience and be ready for next year when hopefully design studios will re-open their doors for internship and hirings.
Another solution is to find companies that are ready to offer an internship for free (no pay), but the most important will be to put a foot inside the system even if there is not a minimum of salary (according with compani policy, maybe small dsign business).Last solution is to open your own freelancing studio which could be a safe and intelligent bet.

What about designers that had the chance to keep their job and are facing up a small number of projects than previewed? To those (the great majority) I suggest to work about the future systems because this crisis will force society to change attitude in every sense and Design + Innovation could be the right solution to have a better place to live after the crisis will be gone!

Good luck!