Matrics are just about at the end of their exams which mean they are 99% done with school. The only thing that’s possibly more stressful than exams (at this time of year) is the idea of what you’re going to do after school.

Many matrics already have a plan of action in place, many don’t. Many suspect they do, but they might feel a bit insecure about their choice of field of study. Whether you don’t know or you have indecision, it’s totally fine. It’s only natural to feel uneasy about making a decision now that will have an impact on the rest of your life.  The best thing you can do, if this is the way you feel, is to take a step back and take your time to make this decision. Even if you take a gap of six months to a year to make your decision, that’s okay, too. Our only advice in such a scenario is to use the time productively – volunteering or just doing short courses in things that interest you (not as a big commitment as a degree).

One of the worst possible things you could do is to enrol into a degree or course just because it’s socially expected of you. We have seen many “creatives” sacrifice their passions and creative interests in lieu of a good paycheck over the years. And the thing is, this was the way the world used to work. “The Arts” and a steady income were once mutually exclusive in most cases. But the world is changing at a rapid pace daily, which means, for creative people, there is opportunity just about everywhere to pursue what you love to do and still be able to make a good living.

We take a look at some career paths that don’t require you to give up what you love to become a successful member of society:

Graphic Design

Graphic Design is by far the most popular “creative” course that school leavers choose to enrol in. And for a good reason. Graphic Design is everywhere. Look around you… See that brand’s logo? This website? The brochure you were handed at the traffic light this morning? They all required someone to graphically design that – and most likely get paid a handsome sum of money to do it.

Architecture

The designing of attractive, yet functional, buildings is one of the few career paths that combines the need to use both sides of the brain. Creating a visually pleasing new building is one thing, but creating it within regulation and the ability to not fall over is a another. Combining your creative side with your analytical side of the brain will allow you to be an architect. And architecture is one of the most lucrative career choices there is.

Interior Design

Once a building is built, someone is needed to make the interior of that building look great aesthetically – and it’s a big industry. A career as an interior designer can be one of the most exciting and rewarding there is. You get to be creative AND make people’s dreams come true. Sign us up!

Fashion Design

You can put your creativity on display as a fashion designer by creating trendy and appealing garments for the world to wear. Who knows, your creation might even grace the catwalks of New York or Milan!

Tattoo Artist

While a tattoo artist may have been a “frowned-upon” occupation back in the day, it has in recent times become an appealing career choice as the industry has taken a major shift towards being socially acceptable. From sports stars to actors to musicians and the average joe, everyone wants to get inked and tattooists are smiling all the way to the bank.

Mobile App Developer

There is no denying that mobile apps have become a big part of everyone’s day. It’s a massive business and it’s safe to say it’s not going away any time soon. App developers are some of the most creative thinkers on the planet, and their skills are in big demand, making it a very attractive industry to be in. If you want to start your own indie app company, you’ll want to be creative and good at coding too, though. So consider taking up Computer Science at university or doing a course on coding.

Animator

An animator is responsible for the creation of the illusioned movement through rapid succession of images. Whether it be in movies, commercials, or even video games. These pictures are either drawn by hand or created digitally with computer assisted programs, or even a combination of both. While it may require a bit of technical skills as well, becoming an animator is THE ideal vocation for the “drawer” in the family.

Special Effects Artist

A slightly different, but much needed, element in the film industry is that of special effects. Making unrealistic scenes seem, well, realistic is the name of the game as a special effects artist. Miniature models and CGI technology are just some of the techniques to create effects in this exciting profession.

These professions may only just be a glimpse of the possibilities there are for artists, but they are some of the most needed and sought-after skills out there. It just goes to show that there are a multitude of ways to pay the bills and STILL ‘colour your world’.