I am 15 years old and live in the United States. I enjoy using blender to make 3D animations and stills. I have been using blender for two years and am possibly thinking about going into a job in the industry. I really have a passion for this stuff and would really enjoy it as a career, but my parents think I should go into engineering or programming because they don’t think they’re will be a lot of jobs because they will be outsourced to different countries. So my question is, would there be good job opportunities in 3D art for me? And if so, would they be in the United States? I really enjoy using blender, but I want to know if what I like to do is a viable career option. Thanks.
I’m not much of a 3D enthusiast, but I could suggest you keep at this, and may be trying do some freelance self employed work relating to this?
I think having a good skill set is certainly the way to go. I sure wish I had this talent, and the ability to program a computer. And I’m twenty seven.
Keep that processor going, but don’t avoid the other subject, keep busy. Because at the end of the day one or the other may be useful at different times or sometimes even together.
Unfortunately, I think that your parents’ concerns are very legitimate. CG is an extremely labor-intensive industry (right now) so much if not most of the labor has been out-sourced to third world countries.
Also, one must soberly consider how fast computer technology is advancing. It may well become the case that CG movies can be “cranked out” successfully without requiring the present-day skill sets.
Nevertheless, I think that you really can have both. CG involves computers and quite a lot of “what CG people do” is “programming” of one sort or another. (A Blender “noodle” network is, for instance, very much “a visual expression of a computer-program.” Certainly, it is a visual expression of an “algorithm.”)
I’m “well north of fifty” years old now … and still going strong, thankye … and computers are still, to this very day, my “hobby.” My fascination with “making a machine do something useful for a person” has never died, even as I (very excitedly) lived through the astonishing technical leaps-and-bounds of our industry. As the technology changed, I constantly strove to change along with it … “it’s a helluva ride!” :yes:
And, guess what: in your career, whatever it turns out to be, you’re going to do the same thing. “If you’re into computers, your career will turn out to be interesting! You will never tire of it, thank gawd.”
Personally, I would take your parents’ advice and seek a versatile education … something that you can then apply to a great many things, specifically including “CG.” A degree in “software engineering” or “computer science” will be applicable just-about anywhere. (As I myself found out, being a member of the second class to have had access to a degree in “computer science.” At the time, the whole degree program was brand-new.)
I would specifically counsel you not to “throw all your eggs into the one basket” of “how the CG industry is today.” “The only constant in the computer biz is … change.” 
As you “put together your personal Education Plan,” don’t assume that “today” will have too much bearing on how things will turn out to be “a few decades later.” Pick an education strategy that will give you a generally useful, and generally marketable(!) credential. Not one that might become “typecast” or “dated.”
Then … once you have that credential in your hand … “marketing it” is up to you. If your love for CG persists by that time, slant your first marketing campaign in that direction. But, “build up the strongest and most-versatile handful of cards” that you can manage at this time.
(And, be sure to walk out of that institution “summa cum laude” … :eek: … as I’m very(!) proud to say that I did, and as my wife also did.)
Considering how many CAD programs are used in engineering and how often blender is being used by students in the sciences, you could do worse than to learn blender and a few of the free cad programs out there.
Thank you so much for the advice!
Thank you so much it really helps that someone would take the time to share their experiences with me!