Hear straight from our graduates.
As for preparing its students for working in the design industry, Shillington probably beats many 3-year university courses.
Midweight UX/UI Designer, Toyota
Dominika Stanczyk
Can you tell us a bit about your Shillington experience, how did you find studying on the part-time course and do you have any tips for juggling other responsibilities alongside the intensity of the programme?
I won’t lie, my 9 months studying at Shillington were probably some of the toughest months of my life! But also, the most fulfilling, life changing and exciting ones. The two tips I have are discipline and down time. Despite many warnings that things will get busy, especially around the portfolio time, the intensity of the course was more than I expected. There basically is no time to say ‘I’ll do this later” because there are always at least 5 things that you need to do later, or better, now. Equally, I think I would have gone mad if it wasn’t for my CrossFit training which I’ve kept up throughout the course. There was often not a lot of time to squeeze it in but it’s so important to have some way to unwind, take your mind off your projects and get those endorphins flowing!
What were your favourite aspects of the course?
Tough question! I think the teaching approach at Shillington is fantastic. The tutors get really involved, they put a lot of emotion and personality into the teaching. I think I was expecting to be taught in a very dry and ‘distanced’ way; to be ‘talked at’ and left to my own devices to come up with ideas and projects- it certainly wasn’t the case. The tutors’ help and support is very personal and throughout the course you really get that feeling that they basically… care.
Also, there’s this whole culture of teachers and students staying in touch after the course is finished, which again, is so natural and human and yet so absent from many educational institutions. Another aspect of the course, which I think is fantastic, is the very effective way of teaching all the new software. I think the shortcut quizzes are GENIUS (sorry Shillington students-to-be!) and give you that little extra edge for when you start in your first job after the course.
Now that you’re part of our Shillumni network do you have any words of wisdom for current students?
Learn those shortcuts, read your hand-outs, believe in yourself and every now and then, give yourself a pat on the back for having the courage to take yourself on this journey. It’s worth it!
Visit Dominika’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
As for preparing its students for working in the design industry, Shillington probably beats many 3-year university courses.
Midweight UX/UI Designer, Toyota
Dominika Stanczyk
Can you tell us a bit about your Shillington experience, how did you find studying on the part-time course and do you have any tips for juggling other responsibilities alongside the intensity of the programme?
I won’t lie, my 9 months studying at Shillington were probably some of the toughest months of my life! But also, the most fulfilling, life changing and exciting ones. The two tips I have are discipline and down time. Despite many warnings that things will get busy, especially around the portfolio time, the intensity of the course was more than I expected. There basically is no time to say ‘I’ll do this later” because there are always at least 5 things that you need to do later, or better, now. Equally, I think I would have gone mad if it wasn’t for my CrossFit training which I’ve kept up throughout the course. There was often not a lot of time to squeeze it in but it’s so important to have some way to unwind, take your mind off your projects and get those endorphins flowing!
What were your favourite aspects of the course?
Tough question! I think the teaching approach at Shillington is fantastic. The tutors get really involved, they put a lot of emotion and personality into the teaching. I think I was expecting to be taught in a very dry and ‘distanced’ way; to be ‘talked at’ and left to my own devices to come up with ideas and projects- it certainly wasn’t the case. The tutors’ help and support is very personal and throughout the course you really get that feeling that they basically… care.
Also, there’s this whole culture of teachers and students staying in touch after the course is finished, which again, is so natural and human and yet so absent from many educational institutions. Another aspect of the course, which I think is fantastic, is the very effective way of teaching all the new software. I think the shortcut quizzes are GENIUS (sorry Shillington students-to-be!) and give you that little extra edge for when you start in your first job after the course.
Now that you’re part of our Shillumni network do you have any words of wisdom for current students?
Learn those shortcuts, read your hand-outs, believe in yourself and every now and then, give yourself a pat on the back for having the courage to take yourself on this journey. It’s worth it!
Visit Dominika’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
Becky Dore
Designer, OnThree
Ana Perez
Founder of Anecdota Studio
Shireen Roy
Freelance Multidisciplinary Designer
Daniele Regan
Founder of Danibydsgn
Jeremy Somers
Founder and Creative Director, We Are Handsome
Darsh Seneviratne
Designer, Canva
Ximena Jimenez
Graphic Designer, The Multicultural Centre for Women's Health
Karina Aslikyan
Freelance Graphic Designer for Music
Ayesha Mansour
Freelance Designer, Aah Yes Studio
Georgia Latham
Designer & Strategist, Imagist
Mary Lin
Freelance Graphic Designer
Sophie Bo Schmidt
Freelance UX, Visual & Web Designer
Ben Thaler
Senior Brand Designer, Common
Liam Speranza
Art Director, THE CHARLES
Natalie Taylor
Designer, Mobkoi
Oyinkan Karunwi
Founder & Brand Strategist, Aseda Design Agency
Elizabeth Diffey
Freelance Graphic Designer, Kate McLeod
Rory Knibbs
Designer, The Midnight Club
Stephanie Halovanic
Writer, Pinterest
Eman Abdallah
Graphic & Experience Designer, KAIRO
Mark Osmond
Lead Designer, Whalar
Araki Koman
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Veronica Humphris
Digital Designer, Mapway
Benjamin Ngooi
Visual Designer, Great Wrap
Khadijah Adbul Nabi
Creative Director & Brand Strategist, Ya Khadijah
Ella Donald & Charlotte Carnegie Brown
Co-Founders, Duzi Studio
Jamie Krups
Design & Communications Manager, BALNCE
Megan Dweck
Senior Design Lead, McKinsey & Company
Miwako Bishop
Regional Creative Director, The Great Room
Eleanor Robertson
Middleweight Designer, Here Design
Kylie Meller
Founder, duosista Web and Graphic Design
Babeth Olde Hanter
Desiger, Doop
Ashley Ronning
Illustrator and Founder, Helio Press
Anara Davletaliyeva
Product Designer, PLAYGROUND XYZ
Amy Sheehan
Design Director, Dotdash
Alexis Waller
Creative Director, For The People
Arnold Omanyo
Freelance Digital Designer
Kelly Hansen
Content Manager, Outreach
Stephen Grace
Senior Designer, Christopher Doyle & Co.
Bea Sambalido
Co-Founder & Creative Director, Renegade Folk
Peta Harris
Graphic Designer, Macquarie University
Pete Conforto
Senior Designer, Canva
Rachel Lee
Freelance Graphic Designer
Olivier Adam
Freelance Graphic Designer
Meg Walker
Freelance Digital Designer
Ina Estrada
Founder & Creative Director, Par Vous Designs