Careers in Arts, Audio/Visual Technology and Communications require courses and activities that challenge students' creative talents.

This career cluster is divided into six pathways:

• Visual Arts

• Performing Arts

• Journalism and Broadcasting

• Audio/Video Technology

• Print Technology

• Telecommunications

Visual Arts

Visual artists create art to communicate ideas, thoughts or feelings. They use a variety of methods—painting, sculpting, illustrating—and an assortment of materials, including oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, pencils, pen and ink, photography, plaster, clay and computers. Their works may be realistic, stylized or abstract and may depict objects, people, nature or events.

Visual artists are generally categorized in two groups. Fine artists create art to satisfy their own need for self-expression. Illustrators and graphic designers, on the other hand, put their artistic skills at the service of commercial clients, such as major corporations and retail stores, as well as advertising, design and publishing firms.

Sample occupations include:

• Painters and Sculptors

• Illustrators and Animators

• Graphics Designers and Computer Artists

• Commercial Photographer

• Art Director

• Art Teachers and College Professors

• Gallery Owners and Curators

• Textile Designer

• Interior Designer

• Set Designer

Performing Arts

A variety of businesses and groups involved in theatrical and musical performances are included in this pathway. Theatrical production companies, for example, coordinate all aspects of producing a play or theater event. Agents represent actors and assist them in finding jobs. Costume design management companies design costumes. Lighting and stage crews handle the technical aspects of productions.

Also in this segment are dance studies, schools and halls, which provide places for professional and amateur dancers to practice, perform and learn. Performers of live musical entertainment include musical artists, dance bands, orchestras, jazz musicians and various modern bands. Orchestras range from major professional orchestras with million-dollar budgets to community orchestras often with part-time schedules.

Sample occupations include:

• Actor/Actress

• Lighting and Set Designers

• Stage Crew

• Instrumentalist

• Singers and Musicians

• Conductor

• Voice and Dance Instructors

• Playwrights and Scriptwriters

Journalism and Broadcasting

News analysts, reporters and correspondents gather information, prepare stories and make broadcasts that inform us about local, state, national and international events; present points of view on current issues; and report on the actions of public officials, corporate executives, special interest groups and others who exercise power.

Broadcast and sound technicians install, test, repair, set up and operate the electronic equipment used to record and transmit radio and television programs, cable programs and motion pictures. Chief engineers, broadcast field supervisors and transmission engineers supervise the technicians who operate and maintain broadcasting equipment.

Sample occupations include:

• Chief Engineer

• Transmission Engineer

• Broadcast Field Supervisor

• Broadcast and Sound Technician

• Camera Operator

• News Analyst

• Reporter

• Correspondent

Audio/Video Technology

Broadly, individuals that work in the AV communications industry manufacture, sell, rent, design, install, integrate, operate and repair the equipment of audiovisual communications. They are involved in the presentation of sound, video and data to groups in such venues as corporate boardrooms, hotels, convention centers, classrooms, theme parks, stadiums and museums.

Sample occupations include:

• Audio and Video Equipment Technician

• Audio-Video Designer, Engineer

• Editor

• Graphic Designer

• Multimedia Artist, Animator

• Producer

• Sound Engineering Technician

• Videographer

Print Technology

The printing process has three stages-prepress, press and binding or post-press. Prepress workers prepare material for printing presses. They perform a variety of post tasks involved with transforming text and pictures into finished pages and making printing plates of the pages. The printing industry is rapidly moving toward complete "digital imaging," by which customers' material received digitally is converted directly into printing plates. Other innovations in prepress work are digital color page makeup systems, electronic page layout systems and off-press color proofing systems. Printing press operators prepare, operate and maintain the printing presses in a pressroom.

Sample occupations include:

• Desktop Publisher

• Job Printer

• Prepress Technician

• Press Operator

• Production, Planning, Expediting Clerk

Telecommunications

Telecommunications specialists focus on the interaction between computer and communications equipment. Telecommunications equipment is computerized and can communicate a variety of information, including data, graphics and video. The workers who set up and maintain this sophisticated equipment are telecommunications equipment technicians, installers and repairers.

Sample occupations include:

• Computer Programmer

• Network Systems and Data Communication Analyst

• Telecommunications Equipment Installer, Repairer

In order to make a plan for your future career goals, you need to know how to get there and make sure it is a good fit for you. There are several tools that can be used for career research. These tools can give you a description of the career, skills needed, tasks involved, wage range, and education/training needed.

Here are a few career research tools:

• Xello

• Onet-Use the "Occupation Search" features

• My Next Move

• CareerOneStop-Use "Occupation Search" or "List of Occupations"

• ASVAB-Career Exploration Program