What kind of certifications would you need to be a product designer or something along the lines of a well paying job at a yoyo manufacturer?
(But can still be applied to another career if it doesn’t work out)
Thanks!
Cruise
There is well paying positions at yoyo manufactures? :
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I would suggest you just focus on choosing a career path that you enjoy and then do some yo-yo design on the side if you’re still inclined to do so. I wouldn’t rely on finding a well paying job with a yo-yo manufacturer, the industry is not that large.
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yeah, I am aware I was just wondering - is it possible to get a design job on the side like that?
Most manufacturers ARE yoyo designers that get their designs made by a machine shop. Onedrop is obviously an exception since they make them all themselves, but the vast majority design their own yoyos and then outsource the production.
Unfortunately not many people are going to pay anyone to design a yoyo for them, since most of the time the whole reason they formed the company to begin with was so they could make their own designs. Unless you have a history of designing fantastic yoyos like CLYW Chris or Kentaro Kimura (who is one of the few people that actually does help other companies with some of their designs), you’ll be hard pressed to find work. :-\
I am working on starting a company but the only position that could earn you enough money to live off of is almost non existent. Even the desiners cannot make that their job unless they excel at it. I will be happy to give you a list of some yoyo related jobs though. There are machinists, engravers (like trophy/ award), and annodizers (like kitchyo). While most of these jobs are not well paid, if you love your job it is all that matters.
lmao @ this thread. Boy are you in for a surprise in the real world.
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ouch
He’s just being honest.
He’s just being annoying.
To the OP:
Are you thinking about people like Augie Fash and Steve Brown who work for yo-yo companies? If so (by the way, I have no knowledge of their real-world skills), I know that they have been around the yo-yo world forever. If you want to get a job for a yo-yo company, then yo-yo for 15+ years and invent a style of yo-yo. They’ve been around the yo-yo community for such a long time that their knowledge of the yo-yo community is invaluable.
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The delivery might have annoyed you but the point is very real. Even with your post, which was an attempt at being helpful, basically said that his chances of being a well paid yoyo designer are one of the slimmest you could imagine
When there comes a time that you’re good enough at what you do, people will look for you and offer you a “job.” I wouldn’t even bother looking for them, let them look for you. Start designing, or do whatever your passion is in yo-yo, and see if people take notice. If they notice, it means you’re onto something, and if they don’t, maybe it’s a sign that a job in yo-yo may not be for you. Do what you think you’re good at, show it off, and see if anyone cares. That will tell you a lot.
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The point is that there is no well-paying job at a yoyo manufacturer. Even the owners of these companies barely scrape by. Some people say to follow your passion or whatever, and that may be true for some hobbies or skillsets, but yoyo isn’t one of them. So go into industrial design/engineering if that field is genuinely interesting to you, but forget about yoyos as anything more than a hobby. Look into makerspaces in your area, learn about CNC, CAD, all that stuff. It will be a great help in your life and something i wish i’d gotten into more when i was in my teens, but maybe put the thought of working for a yoyo manufacturer to bed. CLYW, OD, all these guys got into yoyos way later in life after having established practices and careers.
After reading this thread I believe I need to re-evaluate my career. I think I will now attempt to get me one of those high paying jobs that will enable me to afford a bigger pair of ball kicking shoes than Nathan is sporting around in. 
I think everyone has a different idea of what “well paying” means. Some people don’t require all that much to be happy. And, I can get with being realistic about things, but I also don’t believe in killing a kid’s dream. I find myself somewhere in between.
There are some guys doing yo-yo full time, whether it’s design and manufacture, retail, performing, or whatever. What they all have in common is that they do their jobs extremely well. I don’t think “well paying” means rich or even well-to-do for a lot of people. Basics of food, shelter and clothing are enough for some people. And, if they can have those needs met, and do a job that they love, the job pays “well” enough. Some people would live with a roommate and ride the bus, if they could work with yo-yos all day. That kinda sounds like me in my late teens and very early twenties. There’s nothing wrong with that. 
I think it’s important to focus on the skill first, and if it’s meant to be, things might fall into place. The OP should contact some of the full time workers at the yo-yo companies and ask them how they got their positions. I think what they will all have in common is being very good at what they do. Maybe they can give more detail.
So OP, what did you mean by “well paying?”
In high school I made pizza and did yoyo demos on weekends.
I dropped out of college to become a yoyo demonstrator.
I travelled to about 30 countries.
Went back and finished school (B.Business).
I did some more yoyo demonstrating… and then started YoYoFactory (12 years ago).
We work hard, but i still consider my last real job was making pizza.
Knowing what I know now, I could not advocate the yoyo industry as a career path UNLESS you have an overwhelming desire and know that the amount of time and effort you put in could be rewarded 10x over financially in other industries.
That being said, I have zero regrets.
There are probably under 50 ‘yoyo company’ employees around the world. Most of them are located in China. If your mandarin is on point, you have a much better chance at a job.
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^
He makes pizza and yo-yos too? Sounds perfect!
That sounds like a ton of work, but there is a glimmer of hope there, for those who want to do what you’ve done. All that hard work is the reason you will always get lots of support from me. ;D