Rising shift toward creative and design careers among students
A counsellors’ meet held in Hyderabad this week brought renewed attention to the rapid rise of design and creative career choices among students in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The event brought together school principals and counsellors from across the two states to discuss evolving career patterns and the growing appeal of fields such as design, animation, fashion, gaming, and creative technologies.
For decades, engineering, medicine and management dominated higher-education preferences in the region. However, counsellors noted a clear and steady shift, with many students now opting for creative disciplines that offer broader opportunities and align closely with global industry trends. Participants at the meet discussed how increasing awareness of design-led industries, digital content creation, and user-experience roles is influencing student decisions.
Faculty members from the World University of Design (WUD), which organised the meet, shared observations from their own student demographics, noting that learners from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana constitute a rising share of applicants to design programs. Many of these students, after completing their higher education, return to their home states to work in local firms or start independent design practices, contributing to the region’s creative workforce.
As a young university just a decade old, we are agile, energetic and free from the inertia that slows older institutions. Our openness to students and faculty from all walks of life helps us create the right environment, campus and mentorship for quality design education. Students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana should feel confident exploring opportunities beyond the state because they can always return and contribute even more meaningfully.” Said Prof. Shaleen Sharma, Dean School of Architecture, World University of Design.
Speakers at the meet also highlighted the expanding scope of design across sectors—ranging from architecture and animation to product design, communication design and emerging technology-based creative fields. According to academic representatives, the growing demand for design professionals is closely linked to Hyderabad’s emergence as an IT and innovation hub, where companies increasingly require specialists in user interface design, visual communication, and digital media.
Discussions further touched upon the importance of strengthening counselling at the school level so that students and parents understand the range of career possibilities available today. Participants emphasised that structured guidance can help young learners make informed decisions aligned with their interests and abilities.
The meet also facilitated conversations on the need for stronger collaborations between schools, universities, and the design industry to ensure that students gain accurate information about new-age careers. With creative fields becoming an integral part of global economic growth, educators stressed the importance of preparing students for opportunities that extend beyond traditional professional paths.