Job Forecast and Industry Outlook

Web design and development, along with related media arts disciplines, such as graphic design and digital photography and videography, is a large and growing industry that combines the fields of graphic design, computer programming, multimedia, and writing. Cerro Coso Community College's service area, which includes Eastern Kern County, Inyo County, and Mono County, is projected to experience significant job growth in these areas. California is also projected to experience more rapid growth in these areas than the national average.

Projected Job Growth

Web Design/Development

In the graphs below, employers representing software publishing; internet publishing, portal, and service providers; graphic design; and custom programming services have projected overall growth in California that is higher than the national average. In Cerro Coso's service area, there is projected to be a loss of jobs in the area of custom programming services (thus reflected in the line graph), but positive growth among internet service providers, web search portals, and graphic designers. Economic Modeling Specialists Inc., (EMSI) reports that Eastern Kern County, Inyo County, and Mono County will have a total of 177 new web design/development jobs in the next 5 years.

Web Jobs

Web Jobs
Source: EMSI Complete Employment - 1st Quarter 2010

Print Design

In the graph below, employers representing the print publishing and graphic design industries have projected job growth in Cerro Coso's service area that is higher than the national average and job growth in California that is highest of all. Economic Modeling Specialists Inc., (EMSI) reports that Eastern Kern County, Inyo County, and Mono County will have a total of 53 new graphic design jobs in the next 5 years.

Print Design Jobs
Source: EMSI Complete Employment - 1st Quarter 2010

Digital Photography/Videography

In the graph below, employers representing motion picture and video production, television broadcasting, cable programming, portrait photography, and commercial photography industries have projected job growth in Cerro Coso's service area that is higher than both the California and national averages. Economic Modeling Specialists Inc., (EMSI) reports that Eastern Kern County, Inyo County, and Mono County will have a total of 133 new digital photography and videography jobs in the next 5 years.

Photography and Videography Jobs
Source: EMSI Complete Employment - 1st Quarter 2010

Multimedia and Animation

California also published a list of the fastest growing occupations, among which was Multimedia Artists and Animators. For this occupation, which includes web design, they indicate the following:

Current Jobs

You can search for open positions in web design or web development on job sites, such as http://www.dice.com and find thousands of available positions. Many of these positions require a Bachelor's degree, but many also accept applicants with an Associate Degree or suitable work experience.

Occupational Profiles

The State of California publishes occupational profiles, which provide information about average salaries, required education, projected job growth, working conditions, and required skills. Any of these occupations may include web design/development duties.

Summary

With the exception of Computer Programming, all of the other categories that include the field of web design are growing at a faster rate than average in California. And even though growth is slower in the programming field, the sheer number of new jobs (12,100) in the next 10 years still provides much opportunity. There is a strong need for web designers, programmers, animators, and writers, and the need is going to increase. Bear in mind also, that the above statistics and predictions only apply to employed web designers. There are many, many more opportunities for freelance designers.

World Organization of Webmasters Indicates Need

On August 21, 2002, the World Organization for Webmasters (WOW) published an article entitled "New Study Optimistic for the Future of Web Professionals." In spite of the recent turbulence of the dot com industry, the Information Technology Association reports a positive economic outlook and an increased demand for web professionals. Among the statistics are the following: