Our
Students

Where do you work?
Right now I'm on placement at Creative Lynx in Manchester. It's quite a big studio and I'm enjoying the opportunity to do bits of work for Trevor Johnson who is the Creative Director. This is my third placement having done others at B&W Studio in Leeds and Reform Creative in Manchester. I really enjoyed them as I got to work on my own design concepts for some identity and print work - both of which were well received by the client. It was exciting to have some commercial work to add to my portfolio. After I finish at Creative Lynx, I have another placement coming up at Source Creative in Blackburn and I'm hoping to do another stint at Reform.

Did you feel confident about entering the world of work after you graduated?
I felt very confident because the course at Shillington really gives you the skills to work in a studio. A lot of feedback I've had from my portfolio is that it is of a higher level than that of most graduates and I think that is because we work to actual briefs and tight deadlines which helps you to focus. The teachers are experienced and are very supportive, and they helped me to target the right studios based on my design aesthetic.

What were you doing before the course?
Before the course I worked in marketing. It was fine but not really the creative role I was looking for. After years of dabbling with design projects I decided that graphic design was what I wanted to do full-time because, well, I'm passionate about it!

Why did you decide to do the course?
I did the course because I wanted to change my life and move into graphic design quickly; my wife and I had just had a baby and it wasn't possible for me to do a three-year degree. The part-time course at Shillington was a great option for me as it enabled me to continue freelancing for my old company while developing the experience and skills that I needed to pursue design full-time.

What was the most valuable thing you took away from the course?
The best thing I learnt is that the technical skills are there for execution, not for coming up with design concepts. It doesn't matter how well you know computers - you need a good idea first and to develop it to see how it will work.

Where do you see yourself 12 months from now?
A year from now I hope I am settled in a nice little studio where the focus is on design rather than meeting deadlines and taking on large volumes of work. I'm hoping I'll be moving up from a Junior at that time too.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
The highlight so far was Lee at B&W telling me that he'd put my work up for an award. I didn't get nominated in the end but I was really pleased that Lee - whose work is exceptional - liked my work that much. He gave me great direction whilst I worked on it and it now sits proudly at the front of my portfolio.