Our
Students

Where do you work?
I work full-time as a designer at Queensland Newspapers, working on material for a wide range of clients. I also freelance in my spare time, mainly working on business cards / branding jobs.

Describe your typical day as a designer.
My day usually involves a lot of briefs from clients. Sometimes these are from clients who don't exactly know what they want so this can be quite a challenge sometimes. However, my day also involves working with a lot of cool people, doing something I enjoy and I'm confident doing. Then I get to go home and work on the really fun stuff!

What do you love about being a designer?
I love just about everything about being a designer even if it does included working with the occasional challenging client. I think the coolest thing about design is that it’s kind of a secret language and we have the power to influence the way people interact with the world and the way they consume. It’s cool to think that something I do for fun, something that on the onset doesn’t even feel like work, has such a massive impact.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I still don't understand how I'm getting paid to do something I would do for free just because I enjoy it so much. That’s a pretty big highlight for me.

When did you graduate from Shillington?
November 2009.

What area were you working in before the course?
I was working casual jobs while I was at university.

Did you have any design experience before the course?
I had an interest and appreciation for design, but no experience. I had no idea about what went into the design process.

Why did you decide to do the course?
It was time for me to start doing things I enjoyed.

What was the most valuable thing you took away from the course?
Knowing that I had a thorough knowledge of design and the ability to work as a designer. Also the ability to take criticism and to be able to talk about my ideas and concepts with confidence.

How did you find the college environment, facilities and teaching?
Everything about the college environment was amazing, from the computers, the library and my classmates. However, the most amazing part was the teachers. Having industry professionals teaching you industry relevant skills and knowledge is invaluable. They are also super awesome and friendly people and you really do form a good friendship with them.

How confident did you feel about entering the design industry after you graduated?
As confident as any graduate should. We were always told that, for a design graduate, there is a fine line between confident and cocky. I thought I was pretty darn awesome for achieving so much in three short months, so that was some pretty solid advice.

How long did it take you to secure a job?
I landed my job only 2 months after graduating.

What was the response like to your portfolio during interviews?
I think everyone was very impressed and very surprised at how high the quality of work was for such a short course.

Any advice for someone pondering whether to take the leap into graphic design and sign up for the course?
If it’s something your interested in, go for it. It was seriously the best decision I ever made about my education.

Where do you see yourself 12 months from now?
Hopefully moving from Australia and designing in New York City.