Our
Students

Where do you work?
Surfing World Magazine.

What is your role?
I'm a Junior Graphic Designer. I work in a pretty small environment which is great. It's just the Creative Director and myself, so I have a fair bit of freedom.

Describe your typical day as a designer.
A typical day for me is usually working with the Creative Director on different layouts for the magazine. I also get to work on a number of other things such as media kits, in-house ads and banner ads. I also work with clients that advertise in the magazine as sometimes I would have to design their ads for them.

What do you love about being a designer?
I love that I'm getting paid to do something creative that I would happily do for free, just because I'm passionate about it!

When did you graduate from Shillington?
November 2009.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Getting my dream job working in the surf industry as a graphic designer.

What were you doing before the course?
I worked as a surf instructor as well as working in a surf shop. I liked my job but wanted to do something more creative.

Did you have any design experience before the course?
None at all! All I knew was that I wanted to make things look pretty.

Why did you decide to do the course?
I had always been interested in graphic design but never really knew much about it. A few friends had graduated from Shillington and they all secured good jobs soon after graduating. After speaking to them and finding out more about Shillington I realised that this was the course I wanted to do. Being able to study for three months full-time was also great because I didn't want to be studying for two to three years at university or TAFE.

What was the most valuable thing you took away from the course?
The confidence that I now have with both the technical and conceptual skills.

How did you find the environment, facilities and teaching?
Everything about Shillington is set up to provide the perfect learning environment. Great resources, up-to-date software and computers. Even the wallpaper of the college was full of tips and rules of graphic design. The lecturers were amazing!

How confident did you feel about entering the design industry after you graduated?
I was confident but not as confident as I should have been. After getting good feedback on my portfolio at interviews, I realised that the work that comes out of Shillington is of a really high standard.

How long did it take you to secure a job?
After graduating I went overseas for a month. When I got home I started to look for work and I would say it took about three months to secure the job I was after.

What was the response to your portfolio during interviews?
The response was good! After every interview I was called back for a second. They were all pretty surprised at the amount I had learnt in three months.

Any advice for someone hesitating over whether to take the leap into graphic design and sign up for the course?
Do it! I was hesitating for about a year or two before I did the course and I wish I hadn't waited.

Where do you see yourself 12 months from now?
Still at Surfing World hopefully, still learning heaps and still passionate about graphic design.