UX design generalists, AKA unicorns, might seem like mythical, magical creatures in a faraway land, but they are among us every day. Maybe, you have a unicorn on one of your team projects. Really, you could be working with a unicorn right now. Heck, you might even be a unicorn.
We’re creating a learning environment that will be a great fit for people who are ready to move into UX design and become full-on unicorns. Once we receive state authorization and start enrollment, we’ll be searching for potential students ready for change and hungry to learn new skills—skills that will send them off into exciting new career experiences (and maybe even faraway places)!
The unicorns at our school will be a diverse group of learners with varied backgrounds and qualifications. This diversity will help create a rich learning experience. Our unicorns could be as young as 18; however, we are looking for mature students who are prepared to work hard and ready to take their careers to new heights.
We expect unicorns to primarily be:
- Current design professionals trapped by the UX glass wall
- Career shifters
- Designers/geeks right out of high school or college
Current design professionals trapped by the UX glass wall
This group of potential unicorns may serve in design roles such as graphic design, information architecture, or user research. But interesting assignments and new opportunities are limited and have prevented these folks from gaining necessary experience to find a new job with complex and exciting challenges. To help meet the needs of people trapped by the UX glass wall, we’re creating a program that will allow students to expand their skill sets and gain practical experience from a wider breadth of projects.
Career shifters
The field of UX design is frequently cited by the mainstream press as one of the top growing fields in which to land a job. We expect many individuals who are in lower-paying jobs with little growth potential—career shifters—to look to this career path as a desirable change.
Other career shifters have been out of the workforce for some time, maybe taking a lengthy personal or family leave. Because of the rapid and dramatic change in technology, reentering the workforce can be tough. Our school will provide the opportunity to learn the latest methods and tackle today’s toughest design problems.
Designers/geeks right out of high school or college
This group of mature 18- to 24-year-olds has been passionate about design since their teenage years. Mostly self-taught, these folks have an intense passion for design and know UX is the right career choice. They are interested in a well-rounded education and securing the necessary soft skills to succeed on a high-producing design team.