Paul Drake: "There's hope for young designers even in all of this uncertainty."

It feels like creativity is at risk whenever there is an economic shock. This is both economically and educationally.

D&AD's 40th anniversary of the New Blood Awards was as impressive as ever. However, the next generation of global talent who are ready to make their way into the creative sector is in great danger. Many are now facing a more difficult job market than ever.

There are many reasons to be positive, despite all of this.

Our New Blood Festival was recently presented digitally. We were amazed by the audiences' desire for knowledge and insight. They were not downbeat, but they were positive about the challenge. We, along with many others in the industry, will continue providing the support this generation requires.

It is welcome that the UK government has announced support for its creative and cultural sector. Gavin Williamson, the education minister, has said that there will be a broad curriculum in September. I don't use the word broad lightly to calm fears about the possibility of cutting back on creative subjects.

Get a clear view of the work you want to do

Employment is a tricky area. While it's difficult to predict which parts of the economy will rebound first, jobs will eventually return. Design graduates can do much in the interim to position themselves to seize the opportunities that arise.

We encourage emerging designers to continue learning and making. To have a better understanding of their work and what they are interested in, to take advantage of the industry's generosity and goodwill and find mentors. To keep their curiosity alive; to get feedback; and to form a point of view.

Prepare to repackage your abilities

Design graduates might need to adjust their thinking depending on how and when the economy recovers. This may mean that they need to present their skills in a way that is as attractive to creative workers as to those who are not, but would still benefit from the designer's talents.

Are policymakers able to see the value of design?

There are many industry reports that highlight the importance of creativity in boardrooms. However, AI continues to disrupt creativity and solve problems making it irreplaceable. Who would have thought that Google's Creative Lab's Chief Creative Officer would be now the Chief Creative Officer for Greece, and would also be at the forefront of policy making to help a country navigate its own crisis?

Maybe the fact that creativity has permeated into many areas of the economy has made it more valuable to policy makers. This can be good news for graduates. There is a dire need for creativity to drive innovation. Perhaps a designer's kit is what employers and our economies need.

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Rethinking design education

This is a short-term solution. We can make more fundamental changes to how people access education, training, and employment in the future. I can't count how many times I've heard this phrase recently. I screamed that it was too late for higher education.

It's encouraging to see universities take a thoughtful approach to blended learning. Perhaps now is the right time to reexamine the fixed-in-stone nature, fixed-cost, fixed-discipline, fixed-duration degree courses to ensure that future generations can benefit from this type of learning.