30 Years of Shillington: Spencer Harrison.

For more than a decade, Spencer Harrison has been part of the heartbeat of Shillington. Guiding students, sharing his love of design and proving that creativity truly lives within everyone.

From the early days of print-based studios and portfolios to teaching students across the world online, Spencer has seen Shillington evolve alongside the design industry itself.

His reflections capture not only how much has changed in 30 years, but also what has always stayed the same. The commitment to empowering creatives and helping them unlock their potential. In this interview, Spencer shares his favourite memories, what keeps him inspired after ten years of teaching, and how he sees the future of design education unfolding.

Hey Spencer. What brought you to Shillington, and what’s kept you here?

I come from a long line of teachers, so teaching has always been something I’ve been drawn to. I wanted to teach at Shillington to empower students to discover their creativity and realise what they’re capable of. Seeing the changes I can make in students lives has been what has kept me here for over 10 years and why I still love teaching at Shillington today.

How has Shillington changed or evolved since you joined?

It’s evolved so much over the years, moving from a traditional classroom focused on print design to an online environment where students collaborate across the globe. Being online means I can now teach from my home in countryside Australia teaching students in New York, Japan, Mexico and all over the world…it still blows my mind!

What’s one memory from your time here that still makes you smile?

I always smile when I think about past students and where they’ve ended up. One student in particular with an art history background dreamed of designing art books, which is a tough industry to break into. She continued to work hard after Shillington and a few years later she was creating books for some of Australia’s leading artists.

Some of Spencer's recent work outside of Shillington:

What do you love most about teaching design?

What I love most is helping students realise that creativity isn’t something only a few people have. Everyone is creative; it’s just about building confidence and learning how to trust the process.

How have you seen design education change over the years?

When I started, we were designing websites in Photoshop and producing physical printed portfolios. Now everything happens collaboratively in the cloud using Figma, and students are creating digital portfolios with motion, video and interactive elements. These new tools have really opened up collaboration around the globe and I’d love to see more collaboration in the tools we use.

What’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving to every student?

Don’t skip the process. It can be tempting to rush ahead, but that’s when ideas start to feel generic. The best ideas come from doing the hard work and trusting each step of the creative process.

What does 30 years of Shillington mean to you personally?

Thirty years of Shillington is a real testament to how the course has evolved with the industry. It’s stayed relevant, forward-thinking, and I’ve learnt so much myself through that constant process of adapting and updating.

What’s something unique about the Shillington experience that hasn’t changed, and shouldn’t?

The small student-to-teacher ratio is something really special. It allows us to give personalised guidance and feedback, which creates a more meaningful learning experience than larger institutions can offer.

How do you think design education will evolve over the next 30 years?

AI is already reshaping the design landscape, and I think that will continue. I don’t believe it will replace designers, but it will change the tools we use and help us work faster and more efficiently. In 30 years time we might also be collaborating and learning in virtual reality or holographic spaces which the sci-fi nerd in me is looking forward to!

And finally. If you could describe Shillington in one word, what would it be and why?

Inspiring. Because I’m constantly inspired by the bravery of each student who takes a leap to change their life and career by studying at Shillington.

Thirty years on, Shillington’s mission remains the same: to empower people everywhere to unlock their creativity and build a career they love. Our course was created in 1996, and from our first studio in 1997 to a global network of designers today, we’ve seen thousands of students transform their lives through design.

Whether it’s through our Graphic Design Course or Motion Design Course, Shillington continues to provide a hands-on, industry-focused education that helps students turn creative potential into professional success.

As we celebrate three decades of design, we’re more inspired than ever by the passion, imagination, and ambition of our community. Here’s to 30 years of creativity and to shaping the next generation of designers around the world.