What Your Students Should Know
Whether you're starting out or starting over, the Creative & Communications track equips you with the design, media, and messaging skills that companies and organizations are actively hiring for — right now.
From brand identity to editorial writing, from photography to public relations, every role in this track shares one throughline: the ability to move people with a story delivered as an unforgettable experience.
Workforce Snapshot
Design
- Graphic Designermedian $60,420/yr
- Brand & Product Designermedian $92,500/yr
- Art Directormedian $106,500/yr
Multimedia
- Video Producer & Editormedian $71,640/yr
- Motion Designermedian $84,200/yr
- Photographer & Content Creatormedian $58,300/yr
- Producer & Directormedian $71,640/yr
Research, Writing & Communications
- Market Research Analystmedian $76,950/yr
- Editormedian $75,260/yr
- Public Relations Specialistmedian $69,780/yr
- Social Science Research Assistantmedian $76,540/yr
Salary data sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and LinkedIn Talent Insights 2025.
Why This Lab, Why Now
The creative sector is bifurcating fast. Generalist roles are flattening while brand designers, motion designers, video producers, and AI-fluent creatives grew 18–24% year-over-year on LinkedIn. The organizations hiring aren't just ad agencies — they're nonprofits, B Corps, social enterprises, faith-based organizations, and impact startups that need communicators who understand mission as much as craft.
AI fluency is now table stakes for the top creative roles. This track trains you to use AI as a creative accelerator — not a replacement for your voice.
- +4.1% projected sector growth through 2034
- 215,000+ U.S. openings per year in Design & Multimedia
- 63 live roles currently on the Brand Evangelist marketplace
Learning Modules
Each partner purchase includes CORE 102, 109 & 207 + (1) sector speciality of your choosing.
Design Foundations
Sector Focus: Design
Build your visual literacy from the ground up. Learn the principles of human-centered design, color theory, typography, and layout — tools every creative professional needs regardless of specialization.
- →Design thinking methodology
- →Visual hierarchy and composition
- →Color theory and brand application
- →Typography for digital and print
- →Introduction to Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, and Figma
Brand Identity & Graphic Design
Sector Focus: Design
Go beyond aesthetics. Learn to build brand systems that communicate values, build trust, and scale across platforms.
- →Brand identity development
- →Logo design and visual system creation
- →Style guides and brand documentation
- →Designing for nonprofits, B Corps, and mission-driven organizations
- →AI-assisted design workflows
Multimedia Production
Sector Focus: Multimedia
Learn to tell stories across formats — video, photo, motion, and audio — with the tools modern impact organizations actually use.
- →Photography fundamentals and visual storytelling
- →Video production and editing (CapCut, Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve)
- →YouTube channel production and management
- →Content creation for social media and digital platforms
- →Producing with purpose: ethical storytelling for impact brands
Writing, Editing & Communications
Sector Focus: Marketing, Research & Writing
Strong creative work needs strong words behind it. This module covers the writing and communications skills that keep organizations connected to their communities.
- →Copywriting for brand voice and mission
- →Editorial writing and content strategy
- →Public relations fundamentals
- →Press releases, media pitches, and stakeholder communications
- →Research and writing in the age of AI
AI Tools for Creatives
All Sectors
AI isn't replacing creative professionals — it's raising the floor for everyone. This module ensures you graduate as an AI-fluent creative, not one who fears it.
- →AI image and design generation (responsible use)
- →AI writing assistants and editorial workflows
- →Prompt engineering for creative outputs
- →Ethical AI use in creative and communications work
- →Building an AI-augmented creative workflow
Portfolio & Career Readiness
All Sectors
Participants don't just complete a course — they gain a network, hands-on experience, and industry credibility.
- →Portfolio development across 3–5 real-world projects
- →Resume and LinkedIn optimization for creative roles
- →Interview preparation and salary negotiation
- →Access local and regional ecosystems with warm introductions
- →Creating and tracking S.M.A.R.T. goals
About the Lab
Each lab at Upskill Appalachia follows these signals:
- →Greet each student with a support system from day one (mentor, instructor, network, peers)
- →Embody a cohort-based program for skill building and project-based for speciality
- →Encourage original thought, critical analysis and real-world experiences
- →Use of AI tools responsibly and strategically
- →Blend delivery to serve learners with different styles, schedules and goals
- →Connect the dots between technical skill, leadership, impact and opportunity
Program Details
| Lab | Creative & Communications |
|---|---|
| Fee | $4,998 |
| Seats per Cohort | 25 |
| Format | Live sessions, virtual labs + self-paced modules |
| Duration | 15 weeks |
| Placement Strategy | Included — Career Advisor, Workforce Counselor & Instructor |
Who This Is For
This lab is built for:
- Career changers ready to pivot into creative, research or communications work
- Working professionals who need to modernize their skills with AI tools
- Nonprofit and impact-driven professionals who want to tell their org's story better
- Recent graduates looking for structured, career-specific immersive training
- Anyone who has identified as a storyteller but never had formal training to back it up
No prior design or writing experience required — only curiosity, commitment, and a desire to do good work.
Financial Assistance
We believe cost should never be the barrier to professional development. Options we can coordinate:
- →Educational scholarships and grants
- →WIOA workforce development funding (where eligible)
- →Employer-sponsored professional development or reimbursement
- →Other scholarship opportunities through local and regional partners