Job Title: Multimedia Designer
Name: Jay
Age: early 20s
Works for: Mind Atlas
"When I was younger I always wanted to get into music but then I came across multimedia, which allows you to connect all different mediums - sound, objects, photography and animation."
Tell us what you do, Jay
I work as a Multimedia Designer for Mind Atlas. We build interactive educational courses that can be completed online. For example, we’ve made a course about equal opportunity in the workplace, which then can be used by any company in Australia. Companies can direct their employees to log onto the Internet and learn more about equal opportunity through our online course.
I work closely with a programmer, an administrator and a technical person, who make sure everything works. There also is a project manager to ensure that everything is being managed in a professional way, since we often have four people working together on a single project.
Describe an average day
There isn’t really an average day. It depends on the projects I am working on. At the moment I have projects for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the Board of Jewish Education. I'm also completing Flash development and templates for online e-learning activities. That involves design work as well as action scripting, which is programming in Flash.
What skills do you need in your job?
It’s important for me to have an understanding of multimedia architecture and content management. I've also found it important to understand the logic of software. I don't need to know what every tool does but I do need to understand how the computer thinks. The applications I use are Illustrator, Flash, Photoshop, 3D Studio Max and Sound Forge. With Flash it’s important to have at least some understanding of action scripting. Having that, and being able to read a bit of Java Script, helps me to understand what the programmer does.
ICT. Where did it all begin for you?
During 2000, ICT was booming. I was working as a waiter in a restaurant at the time. One day I randomly met the CEO of MindAtlas at the restaurant. In those days a waiter could morph into a Multimedia Designer, no worries. I didn't have any skills in multimedia design except for a bit of messing around in Photoshop, but I had the interest and the motivation to get involved.
I started coming into Mind Atlas two days a week, which soon became three times a week, and then finally full-time. I was learning a lot during that time. I did a two-day course in Dream Weaver, which made me realise that building websites was easier than it seemed. That motivated me to explore the area of multimedia design further. I started looking at the interface side of software. I was also teaching myself from manuals and downloading source files to learn about content management. Now I'm doing a Diploma of Multimedia Design at Monash University.
When I was younger I always wanted to get into music but then I came across multimedia, which incorporates music anyhow. Multimedia allows you to connect all different mediums - sound, objects, photography and animation.
What do you like about your job?
It's not like other jobs. I work with a great team, and being able to work online from home when I want to is a plus. ICT changes everyday and I enjoy keeping up with it. New software and techniques come out all the time. I have to be on top of them because multimedia design is evolving so fast.
Where do you see your career going next?
It’s hard to tell since this industry changes on a daily basis. I would like to get involved in film special effects and bigger, more innovative projects.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in ICT?
Just free your mind. That's what this industry is about, thinking differently. That's why ICT accelerates so fast.
Find out more about this career path at myfuture.edu.au (Note: free registration is required to access the myfuture site).