President Laura Freid was interviewed by the Chronicle of Higher Education about the potential advantages of art and design education in a rapidly changing workforce. As the job market for recent graduates becomes more challenging, the skills students learn in art and design school often give them a competitive edge. The article writes:
“[…]in a world of algorithmic sameness, the quirky perspectives that might have made these creatives the odd folks out in high school can make them refreshingly distinctive, authentic voices in job interviews. Along with creativity, employers value analytical thinking, project-oriented scrappiness, versatility, flexibility, entrepreneurship, teamwork, communication prowess, resilience, and deadline reliability.”
The article also described how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are changing the professional landscape. President Freid emphasized the ways in which different disciplines, such as animation, have embraced emerging technological tools. At the same time, she says, it is essential to preserve protections around original works.