After graduating high school or college, most people are thrown directly into the workforce, working low-paying, high-stress jobs that barely pay them enough to live off of. Whether this looks like working a register at a popular fast-food chain, dealing with all the “Karens” and “Kevins” who swear by God they got shorted on fries, or stocking shelves in a grocery store while people hustle around you, chances are you’re not happy working that particular job. And why would you be? Many would prefer not to work those kinds of jobs, but many wind up where they wind up due to circumstances and a need to survive. But with the pandemic increasing the potential cost of working these kinds of jobs, you’re probably looking for an escape: a career that pays more than enough to survive, has a significant chance of being viable in the future, and doesn’t require you to interact with the public regularly.

If this sounds good to you, you might be right for a career in web design. With the labor shortage that followed a year of terribly implemented pandemic protocols, many people working those kinds of lower-paying jobs are looking for something new, bringing about a nationwide period of occupational transition. Web design is an increasingly popular field to transition to, with an above-average yearly salary for UX and UI designers alike, an abundance of open positions, and a low overall cost of entry.

Are you interested in hearing more? Here’s everything you need to know about the two main branches of web design and how to enter the field for the cost of a single semester at college.

Big Picture, Bigger Role: UX Designers

UX designers, or user experience designers, are the big-picture people responsible for thinking about how users will likely experience content on their website and organizing it accordingly. After conducting an extensive amount of customer and competitor research, UX designers construct a prototype; a bare-bones outline (usually using wireframes) of how content will be distributed on the site and how customers will navigate from page to page.

For UX designers, the content is key, and everything they do will be about making sure the content is accessible, easy to follow, and that the customer can go from page to page, taking in all the necessary content. A great deal of strategy goes into their plans, and while they won’t have a finished product when their work is complete, they will have an outline that UI designers can successfully flesh out.

Hashing Out the Mechanics: UI Designers

While UX designers construct the bare-bones prototype of the site, UI designers (or user interface designers) add all of the components necessary to then translate the ideas of the UX designers into a fully functional, customer-accessible product. UI designers are concerned with two conjoined areas of website design: the aesthetics (or appearance) of the website and the website’s functionality. UI designers construct interfaces that allow customers to navigate from page to page, often considering factors like how and why visitors will interact with the site, types of buttons and button placement, animations, and color palette.

In bringing the ideas of the UX designer to life, UI designers must follow the notes UX designers have left and keep in close communication with their counterparts.

Bootcamps: The Most Efficient Way to Enter the Field

If any of this struck a chord with you, you might want to consider joining a UX or UI designer bootcamp as opposed to enrolling in a university’s four-year degree program. With a variety of options available on the market that are tailored to suit a variety of schedules, UX/UI bootcamps can be great options for people looking to get the education and qualifications they need in a matter of months.

Often running about the price of a semester at a four-year university, UX/UI bootcamps give their attendees all the classes they need without any superfluous offerings designed to take more of your hard-earned money. Depending on the provider chosen, bootcamps can also offer key networking opportunities with would-be employers, allowing students to form partnerships with them while completing coursework and perhaps opening the door for opportunities down the line.

Bootcamps Vs. Traditional Methods of Education

Bootcamps are certainly not for everyone, as they’re intense programs. But for people looking to make the transition to a web-design career while spending as little time and money as possible and those willing to put the effort in and work hard, bootcamps can be a great alternative to more traditional, more expensive methods of attaining the required education. If you’re tired of working a thankless, low-paying job and want to transition to something more stable, consider signing up for a UX/UI bootcamp. You might be surprised at how quickly you’re able to move into your new career.