Day at Work Videos

Description: Architects plan and design houses, office buildings, factories and other structures.
Knowledge Required: A knowledge and practical application of math, engineering techniques, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary.
Skills: Problem solving, critical thinking and information ordering skills are important because often a design begins as a way to combat a problem. Architects are usually interested and proficient in art (be it drawing or computer art).
Career Path: Architects must pass a state-administered test to gain a license. This test comes after a degree (Associates, Bachelors, or Advanced) and on the job apprenticeship.
Median Annual Income: National: $76,750 CA: $88,350
Future Growth: Jobs in architecture and design will become more abundant as green jobs continue to increase. The US economic stimulus package is expected to boost the creation and transformation of up to 400,000 Green Jobs. In architecture this includes not only new Green buildings but retrofitting existing structures to make them more energy efficient.

Description: Curators are responsible for the collections of galleries, museums, libraries and other cultural institutions. Their work involves researching and acquiring objects for a collection, as well as fundraising and promotion.
Knowledge Required: Art history, chemistry, physics, restoration techniques, museum studies, public relations
Skills: Aesthetic design, business administration, marketing, computers, fundraising
Career Path: Most museums require a master's degree in an appropriate discipline such as art, history, or natural science, or in museum studies, in addition to practical experience through internships or entry-level museum positions.
Best Cities for this Job: Metropolitan areas such as New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco have the highest employment of Curators.
Median Annual Income: National: $48,450 CA: $58,610
Future Growth: The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 20 percent increase of employment for Curatorial positions over the next decade.
From the Field: "Part of being a curator has to do with learning... You constantly have to become an expert at new material. So your curiosity is rewarded by amazing insights into the world around you." -René de Guzman, Senior Curator of Art, Oakland Museum of California

Description: Art Directors formulate art and design concepts and presentation approaches for print, broadcasting, or advertising.
Knowledge Required: Basic principles and techniques of art and design, website design, graphic design
Skills: Active listening, oral comprehension and expression, customer service, complex problem solving, management
Career Path: Training in graphic design, photography or drawing, among other forms of art, and putting together a portfolio
Best Cities for this Job: California, New York, Minnesota, District of Columbia, and Illinois have the highest concentration of art directors.
Median Annual Income: National: $95,860 California: $106,330
Future Growth: The Bureau of Labor Statistic predicts a 12 percent growth in employment between 2008 and 2018.
From the Field: The thing I love most about my job is the flexibility I get. I get to wear a lot of different hats. I get to have a hand in pretty much every aspect of the creative process here." - Nikki Thayer, Art Director, Inigral, Inc.
Associated Curriculum: Digital Media Arts: Introduction to Visual arts and Digital Design, Unit 1

Description: Audio engineers specialize in the use of machinery and equipment for the use of recording, mixing, and manipulating sound.
Knowledge Required: General knowledge of computers and other related electronics. Knowledge of fine art, physics, engineering and technology is helpful.
Skills: Audio engineers train their ears to sound, and are good listeners, critical thinkers, and problem solvers.
Career Path: Audio engineers usually complete a year-long vocational program, followed by formal on-the-job training in studios or recording facilities.
Best Cities for this Job: Large metropolitan areas with a concentration of entertainment such as LA, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Diego.
Median Annual Income: National: $47,080 CA: $53,030
Future Growth: The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an average increase of 8 percent for audio engineers.
From the Field: "It's the people I work with. It's just satisfying. When you're around artistic, creative, energetic people, it's infectious." - Kevin Weber, Audio Engineer, Spliggity Fidge

Description: Civil engineers design and supervise the construction of roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and water supply and sewage systems. They must consider many factors in the design process from the construction costs and expected lifetime of a project to government regulations and potential environmental hazards such as earthquakes and hurricanes.
Knowledge Required: Engineering and Technology, Design, English Language, mathematics, physics
Skills: Critical thinking, science, operations analysis, judgment and decision making
Career Path: In general, Civil Engineering requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Choose a program that has courses in the specific areas you are interested in. During your education, it is important to try to pursue and internship in the field you are interested in. During your junior or senior year, you need to take the (FE/EiT) Engineering in Training exam. It is a prerequisite for the (PE) Professional Engineering exam. Passing the PE is key to finding employment.
Best Cities for this Job: The top city to pursue a career in the field of engineering is Houston, Texas. The second best city to find employment in the engineering field is Chicago, Illinois. New York, New York, and Atlanta, Georgia come in fourth and fifth, respectively. In California, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Santa Clara offer many employment opportunities. There are many engineering jobs available throughout the United States. Jobs are often more readily available to those willing to relocate outside of metropolitan areas.
Median Annual Income: National: $76,590 CA: $90,460
Future Growth: The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 24% growth in the field, much faster than average.
From the Field: "I'm the type of person who likes to think fast, use my engineering background and my construction background and try to determine repairs on the go. Some people run away from that kind of thing, you know the pressure, but I seem to thrive." -Ken Brown, Civil Engineer, CalTrans

Overview: Keith Knight creates cartoons that highlight his experiences and experiences of underrepresented communities. Watch our latest Day in the Life release and find out how he followed his passion of cartooning. Watch this video to follow his journey. Interested in more of Keith's comics? http://www.kchronicles.com