How Can Design Students Prepare for the AI-Driven Job Market?

Nov 7

Shape your future in the AI-driven design world.

A conversation between Jenna Gaidusek, Founder of AI for Interior Designers™, and Julia Reinert, Founder of The Lifestyle Historian™

Based on Podcast Episode 62: “Preparing Design Students for the New Job Market with AI”

In this episode of the AI for Interior Designers™ podcast, Jenna Gaidusek and Julia Reinert discuss how design students can prepare for an AI-driven job market. From mastering AI tools to building ethical, creative workflows, this conversation offers practical advice for students, recent graduates, and young professionals aiming to stand out in the competitive interior design industry.

Julia: Jenna, in this episode you sounded both inspired and deeply concerned after teaching at your alma mater. You were honest about how tough the design job market is for new graduates. Why did this conversation feel different for you?

Jenna: I think it hit me harder because I saw myself in those students. When I graduated during the post-2008 recession, jobs were scarce. Today’s students are facing that same uncertainty, compounded by technology that’s moving faster than anyone can keep up with. I wanted to tell them the truth. Being a talented designer is not enough anymore. You have to understand how to use AI as a practical tool in your process. It’s not optional. Learning AI tools for creative careers is becoming just as important as traditional design skills.

Julia: That honesty matters. I talk to a lot of young creatives who are passionate but scared. They think AI might make their degree irrelevant. Yet you’re saying it’s the opposite, that AI is becoming part of the skill set firms now expect.

Jenna: Firms are looking for candidates who can help them do more with less. Many are struggling financially. They’re not hiring just for design talent anymore. They need team members who can improve efficiency, support marketing, and manage tasks that used to take an entire staff. If a student can show that they know how to use ChatGPT to draft proposals, analyze design specs, or organize data, that’s a huge differentiator. That’s why developing AI skills for interior design jobs is critical.

Julia: You made a point in the podcast about AI proficiency being almost like computer literacy used to be. It’s part of being employable. What do you think educators should be doing differently to prepare students?

Jenna: Design programs need to teach both the creative fundamentals and the technical fluency that the job market now demands. Students still need to learn rendering, drafting, and presentation skills, but they should also be learning how to use AI to streamline research, create client communication, or develop mood boards faster. It’s not about replacing creativity. It’s about using AI to remove the tedious parts so designers can focus on what only humans can do. This is exactly what design education and technology need to address, teaching students how to prepare for AI in design while still mastering traditional methods.

Julia: That balance seems to be at the heart of it. You also addressed a student question about the environmental impact of AI, which I found powerful. These students are thinking beyond career survival, they’re thinking ethically.

Jenna: I was encouraged by that. One student asked whether I was concerned about the energy consumption behind AI, and the truth is, yes, I am. It’s a problem. But the fact that students are asking those questions gives me hope. They care about how the industry evolves, not just how to survive in it. We need designers who will use these tools responsibly and speak up about sustainability and ethics.

Julia: It sounds like you’re saying awareness is part of being a modern designer, knowing how your tools affect the world. I also noticed you drew a sharp line between the luxury design market and the middle tier. How does that affect students entering the field?

Jenna: The luxury firms will probably stay stable. They have budgets to weather uncertainty. But the middle tier, the ones doing solid, livable design for most people, is under serious pressure. Many of those firms are scaling back, merging, or closing altogether. When that happens, experienced designers will go back into the job market, which means new graduates are competing against professionals with years of experience. The only way to stand out is to bring something those designers don’t, and that’s AI literacy. Understanding AI for interior designers isn’t optional, it’s a competitive advantage in the interior design job market 2025.

Julia: So, if you were talking to a graduating design student today, what would you tell them to do right now to prepare?

Jenna: Start building your portfolio and your AI skill set today, not after graduation. Learn to use tools like ChatGPT or Midjourney responsibly. Show how AI supports your design thinking. Be the person who can say, “I can take what you’re already doing and make it faster, more accurate, and more compelling.” Employers are watching for that initiative. And if you can demonstrate how you use AI to work smarter, that will open doors. This is the essence of AI for design students, bridging traditional design skills with emerging technology.

Julia: You said something in the episode that really struck me: “I want to design. I don’t have time to design.” That was revealing. It sounds like you’re saying AI skills aren’t just for students, they’re for the future of small firms too.

Jenna: Many designers are overwhelmed by the business side of design. They need help with organization, communication, and research. That’s where AI comes in. If a new graduate can show up ready to help a firm integrate these tools, they’re not just another entry-level designer, they’re an invaluable asset.

Julia: There’s something empowering about that. It’s not about competing with AI but learning to lead with it. For students, that means they can walk into a firm and actually help it thrive in a tough market.

Jenna: I tell them, you don’t have to know everything about AI. You just have to be willing to learn and experiment. The designers and firms who stay adaptable and curious are the ones who will come out stronger for it!

Final Thoughts from Both of Us

Julia: AI is expanding what’s possible for designers who are prepared to embrace it. The challenge for students is to approach it with both curiosity and conscience.

Jenna: It’s not about losing your creative voice. It’s about learning the tools that will help you protect and amplify it. If you’re a design student, start small, stay ethical, and stay curious. The future of this industry belongs to the designers who can blend creativity, empathy, and technology.

Your Turn

How are you preparing for the AI-driven design job market? Are you learning new tools, exploring how AI can support your creative process, or thinking about the ethical impact of technology in design? Share your perspective with the AI for Interior Designers™ community. Your experience might inspire the next generation of designers to build their careers with confidence.

Listen to the full episode now on Apple Podcasts: EP 62: Preparing Design Students for the New Job Market with AI

Want more tools like this in your own business?
Join theAI for Interior Designers™ Community

Expert Resources and Next Steps

The DAIly Training Program - Comprehensive AI implementation for design professionals
AI for Interior Designers Podcast - Weekly insights and tool reviews
AI Interior Design Tools: Game-Changing Technology for Creative Professionals