Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/371911
46 cgw j u ly . a u g u s t 2 0 1 4 E D U C A T I O N saging as if they were conversa- tions, we do need to have some discretion on who is 'listening.' There are many times when we have to resort to a real and private conversation in person, face to face," McIntosh says. Caution aside, the immedi- acy of a student messaging a faculty member is empowering for the student and o en wel- comed by the faculty. While some applications are based on casual postings, others, like LinkedIn, are all about business, and they off er students an opportunity to connect to others on a profes- sional level. "We encourage our students not to be shy about business-oriented sites – they can be boring, but they can be very eff ective," says McIntosh. Last month, for instance, McIntosh was able to fi nd a student from a small Midwest- ern town an internship close to home through LinkedIn within days when the previous intern- ship did not work out. A L E A R N E D S K I L L Vancouver Film School (VFS) emphasizes the importance of social media, particularly Linked - In. To ensure that students get the most out of LinkedIn, VFS even off ers a lecture-based class where students learn what information to include and not include, says Sarah von Fersen, Mentorship and Industry Relations Lead in 3D Animation and Visual Eff ects at the school. VFS student Jamie Walker uses social media to connect with fellow VFX students, look at demo reels on YouTube and Vimeo, and visit company websites for job postings and recent projects. "Information and work can be spread quickly through various spaces on the Internet, so access, even to a small degree, to the industry is becoming easier for the aver- age person," says Walker. At Sheridan College, social media is a key tool that post- graduate students in the Web Design program use for their career building, both informally and as part of the curriculum. C A R E E R B U I L D I N G Teachers in Pratt Institute's Department of Digital Arts en- courage students to use social media as a means of promo- tion and career building. Carla Gannis, assistant chair, teaches a Professional Practices course that focuses on strategies for harnessing the power of online networks. Here, students are required to create LinkedIn accounts. Additionally, they upload works from their digital portfolios to platforms such as Vimeo, tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and fl ickr as spaces for peer review. "We talk about the ways in which 'friends' platforms, like Facebook, can also be used with Artist, Product, Entertain- ment, and Community pages to promote their work," says Gan- nis. "Tweeting is also analyzed as a way to build a professional, public identity." Increasingly, the "like econo- my" is impacting our "real econ- omies" and our future, Gannis points out. An online networked presence can lead to a variety of opportunities, from exhibitions to jobs, now that much of pro- fessional communication takes place via private messaging on social networks. "And most em- ployers expect emerging artists and designers to be actively engaged online," she adds. Yet, Pratt student Nicholas Dease realizes that joining a potential employer's contact list isn't useful unless you speak to someone with the power to advance your standing with his or her company. "Anything that leads to a face-to-face meeting is helpful, even if it means e-mailing them directly and asking for an informational interview," he says. The faculty at Animation Mentor, an online animation and visual eff ects school that assigns experienced animation professionals as mentors for the students, believes in the importance of social media as a tool for students' career-building activities. Not surprising, Mentor Paul Allen fi nds YouTube and Vimeo especially useful for the animation students, along with LinkedIn for business connec- tions. "Keeping current with reels is always an ongoing process, so utilizing whatever tools are "IF YOU ARE NOT USING SOCIAL MEDIA TOWARD BUILDING A BETTER CAREER FOR YOURSELF, THEN YOU ARE A FOOL. IT TAKES VERY LITTLE EFFORT TO POST SOMETHING OR BLOG." BRANDON CLEMENTS PURDUE UNIVERSITY "SOCIAL MEDIA IS A GOLD MINE OF FREE INFORMATION AND ADVICE." BROCK BOYTS ANIMATION MENTOR "THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY HAS ONE OF THE MOST (IF NOT THE MOST) ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL ONLINE COMMUNITIES." DEVIN JENSEN DIGIPEN "I USE PINTEREST AS A SOURCE FOR COLLECTING REFERENCES, MAINLY FOR CONCEPT ART." ELIZABETH KU SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS " We ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS NOT TO BE SHY ABOUT BUSINESS-ORIENTED SITES – THEY MAY BE BORING, BUT THEY CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE."