Life after SAIC

An education in art and design can open the door to a surprising range of careers, including some you may never have thought of. At SAIC, we help you explore your options. We prepare you—whether you’re hoping to carve a professional life as an artist, a scholar, or an entrepreneur. And we connect you. With a vast choice of internships, job and interview prep, and a network of alums across the country and around the globe who want you to succeed, you’ll graduate with the skills, connections, and insights you need to build a creative career after SAIC.

The CAPX offices, showing a large wall made up of text detailing different careers in art and design.
Your Future

Your Career Prep Hub

Career and Professional Experience is where you’ll connect with SAIC’s career resources and services as a student and, later, as an alum. Start early: CAPX can even help you figure out your strengths.

How We Prepare You

    Professional Practice Experience

    Required for all undergraduates, this course preps you for life after SAIC. Instructors from across all departments guide third- year students through an evolving curriculum of job prep, project development, and network building.

    Students meeting potential employers at CAPX's career fair

    360-Degree Advising

    Career, faculty, and peer advisors work with students and alums, tailoring coaching to serve your individual needs while helping you to identify your strengths, values, skills, and experiences.

    Students meeting potential employers at CAPX's career fair

    Job Search / Interview Training

    CAPX offers on-demand virtual interview training for all experience levels. Internet access is all you need for 24/7 practice and valuable feedback from a dedicated team.

    Students meeting potential employers at CAPX's career fair

    Help With Emerging Industries

    Bold, unconventional, innovative —these are just some of the qualities SAIC encourages in students. For artists and designers who want to forge a more unique path after graduation, CAPX has dedicated resources for building a future in an emerging industry as a freelance creative or through entrepreneurship.

    Students meeting potential employers at CAPX's career fair

    Career- Focused Events

    CAPX hosts career-related events throughout the school year. Through panels, practical workshops, info sessions, and professional expos, students and alums have the opportunity to meet with industry leaders for career advice, creative critiques, and professional recruitment.

    Students meeting potential employers at CAPX's career fair
    Students gathered in a hallway during SAIC’s internship and career expo.
    Your Future

    A World of Internships

    CAPX has ties to hundreds of internship providers, including studios and museums, publishing firms, fashion houses, tech startups, and community organizations in the US and globally.

    Alum Allison Glenn and the Power of Listening

    For School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) alum Allison Glenn (Dual MA 2012), the art of curation is about collaboration. So, when she was asked to helm an exhibition in Louisville, Kentucky, honoring the life of Breonna Taylor, Glenn knew what she needed to do: listen.

    Explore
    a portait painting of Breonna Taylor in a blue dress, against a blue background.

    Amy Sherald, Breonna Taylor, 2020, oil on linen, 137.2 x 109.2 cm / 54 x 43 in, © Amy Sherald. Photo courtesy of Bill Roughen

    How We Connect You

      Expert Exchange

      The weekly Expert Exchange lets students and alums connect virtually with creative professionals to get personalized career advice and discuss future work opportunities.

      Students gathered in the MacLean ballroom during SAIC’s internship and career expo.

      The SAIC Job Expo

      Undergrads, graduate students, and SAIC alums can attend the annual Internship & Job Expo. This all-virtual event offers individual meetings and group sessions with more than 125 leading organizations from the creative and cultural industries.

      Students gathered in the MacLean ballroom during SAIC’s internship and career expo.

      Connect With an Alum

      SAIC alumni volunteer to offer practical help to current students, including workshops that cover the everyday lives and work of artists and creatives, from grant writing to social media marketing, and portfolio reviews from professionals in many fields.

      Students gathered in the MacLean ballroom during SAIC’s internship and career expo.
      Patrons viewing paintings with saturated yellows, blues, and pinks within large gallery space.

      Gallery Experience

      The School's public exhibition spaces—both SAIC Galleries and the two student-run SITE Galleries—offer opportunities for you to gain professional experience as an artist or curator. You'll learn how to write an exhibition proposal, install and light art and design work, maybe even run a gallery. Take a look at some recent shows.