This week we caught up with Toronto-based Interior Designer Erica Swanson about how her education has had an impact on her career.

Question: How did your education help prepare you for your career?

Answer: My education has been integral to my success. An ‘eye’ for design is not enough; a firm grasp of basic business principles is essential to succeed in this industry. If you can’t manage the project, your team, the budget or administer the process while you’re also keeping your hands on the wheel of your business, no amount of “make pretty” will keep you afloat. An education is crucial; I wouldn’t be where I am today without the confidence and skills my education provided.

Now we pose the question to you: How has your education helped equip you for your career?

Erica Swanson’s Bio: I’m an Interior Designer which is a fancy-pants way of saying I create kick-ass spaces for wickedly cool people. I listen. I translate. I initiate. And then I deliver you, You. I do that with my ‘Design on the Dirty’ virtual design services available anywhere in North America. With laser-focused intuition, I create customized design and decorating plans delivered digitally or right to your doorstep. Because it isn’t about this year’s hottest paint colour, this year’s trends, or what the Jones’ are doing. It’s about you. You can find me at www.ericaswansondesign.com and on Twitter @erica_swanson where I post about creativity, art and interior design. But don’t just take my word for it; I’ve been featured on national television, radio, in books, magazines, and in both of Canada’s national newspapers. So what are you waiting for?

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In order to help musicians build their brand, name, and career, it’s important to team up with a public relations specialist. Public relations specialists with online degrees from reputable schools nationwide can help musicians with their advertising, social media, and branding. Musicians who hire public relations specialists can focus on doing what they do best — writing, recording, and performing their music — while the PR professional can take care of getting them visible positive press.

Public relations specialists help manage a musician’s relationship with the public, creating opportunities for them to be featured in publications such as newspapers and magazines by the distribution of press releases. While it is possible for musicians to do their own public relations, many musicians struggle with this business aspect and prefer to have someone take care of it for them.

A well-respected public relations organization New York recently facilitated a European rock band’s tour to America, coordinating radio promotion, press materials, and interviews while on tour. As they drummed up interest in the band through a variety of different media channels, the band was able to deliver memorable interviews and focus on their performances.

Many schools offer online degrees in public relations, allowing busy professionals to work their school around their busy life, and not the other way around. With a public relations online degree, graduates can choose their niche markets and work with the likes of musicians, small businesses, non-profit organizations, or even politicians. For more information about a public relations online degree, visit My Colleges and Careers.

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Shigeru Miyamoto is Nintendo’s chief video game designer and the creative genius behind their best-selling games including Mario, Donkey Kong, and Zelda. He’s also the legend video game designers aspire to be.

A natural innovator, Miyamoto received his formal education from the Kanazawa College of Industrial Arts in Japan and finds inspiration from real life experiences for video games. Wii Fit came about as a result of his family’s efforts to get healthier, hit the gym regularly, and track their weight. “It made me think that perhaps health could be a subject for a game,” Miyamoto told The Sunday Times. And thus Wii Fit was born.

When Miyamoto got a puppy, the dog training class with his sheltie inspired him to create the video game Nintendogs. When asked about Nintendogs’ popularity, he reports, “rather than trying to follow industry trends, it’s based on things that people find appealing in general. Not just what they find appealing in a video game.”

Video game design and development is a popular field that relates not only to fictitious worlds, but as Miyamoto shows us, the one we know and love.

What does a Video Game Designer Do?

Video game designers are responsible for creating a virtual gaming world, including the storyline, artwork, and character bios. They are also in charge of determining the mission of the video game and any challenges that players encounter.

Preparation: Video Game Designer

To stand out in the competitive gaming industry, an education in computer programming will help you land a job as a video game designer. Since there are many different facets of game video game design including character development, art design, and programming, invest in an education in whichever area of game design you choose to specialize in. An education in math, animation, storyboarding, computer simulation, and computer programming, such as C++, is valuable.

Personality Profile: Video Game Designer

Video game designers need creativity, good work ethic, vision, and strong communication skills in order to thrive in the industry. As you might have guessed, a love of video games helps.

By the Numbers: Video Game Designer

• Video game designers held about 209,000 jobs in 2008.
• There are 72,600 projected job openings for video game designers over the next decade.

Video Game Designer Perks

As a video game designer, you can bring your game concepts to life for the enjoyment of countless others.

Show Me the Money: Video Game Designer Salary

Video game designers with more than 6 years of experience made an impressive $37/hour and $77,010 annually in 2008. Designers with who had between three to six years of industry experience made $57,000 while those with less than three years experience made $44,000.

To find the perfect video game designer program for you so you can launch a successful gaming career, visit My Colleges and Careers.

On Wednesday, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor spoke with ABC News about a great new learning tool for children — video games.

“They’re fabulous,” she told George Stephanopoulos this week. “And we’ve had tests done. And the students go up 20 percent in their knowledge by playing those games. It’s just incredible.”

Since middle school aged children are spending 40 hours on average in front of a screen, Justice O’Connor says, “if we can capture just part of that time, to get ‘em in front of a computer screen to play these games, they’re going to learn. [T]hey’re fun. The games are great.”

Integrating modern technology such as this into today’s teaching methods is an effective way to teach the up and coming computer-savvy generation. A free resource, both teachers and students will benefit from these educational video games.

If you’re passionate about teaching with technology or developing video games that can be used for educational purposes, visit My Colleges and Careers to find a program in your area.