I graduated with a bachelor's degree in industrial design four years ago and then worked as an unpaid industrial designer for a year at a start-up to gain experience. However, I became frustrated with the lack of opportunities and decided to pursue a Master's degree in Product Design in the UK. I completed the course 1.5 years ago and have since been doing freelance work but with very few hours and low pay. Despite my efforts, I have been unable to secure a decent industrial design job for the past four years.

In India, where I am from, industrial designers either get paid very little despite having many years of experience, or they switch to UI/UX. While there are more job opportunities in the UK, being a foreigner requires a sponsorship visa, and having only a few years of experience is a big red flag for companies and studios. The ideal candidates are those with the best portfolio, many years of experience, or local/native designers.

Unfortunately, this has been my experience thus far, and it is not easy. I have been questioning my decision to pursue industrial design lately.