Why Skipping University Might Be The Smartest Move For Your Creative Career.

University might not be happening. But what if that’s not the end of your creative journey? What if it’s the beginning?

Every year, more students are questioning whether the traditional university route is the best path into the design industry. The debt. The time. The lectures that don’t lead to real skills.

At Shillington, we’ve seen students like Ellie and Ella choose something different. Something faster, focused and real. Our 3-month or 9-month Graphic Design course gives you the tools, portfolio and confidence to become a designer in a fraction of the time it takes to finish your first year at uni.

“Three years of uni in three months. What’s not to love?”

That’s how Ellie Puttock puts it. After working behind a bar, she wanted a clear path into the creative industry. But uni didn’t feel right.

Ellie let us know that going to Uni felt like a really big commitment for something I didn’t know if she’d enjoy. And she didn’t think she needed three years of theory to become a graphic designer. "I just wanted to get started.”

Instead, she studied full-time at Shillington. Within months, she was interning at MultiAdaptor, working on a major project for YouTube.

A place to design your future. Not just study it.

Ella Dawson had a place to study graphic design at university. She turned it down. She wanted to get into the industry, not just talk about it.

Ella came to Shillington, studied full-time, and now teaches part-time at Shillington alongside designer for MadeByShape. Along the way, she’s worked at agencies, freelanced and branded everything from care homes to fashion labels.

Ella explained to us that it gave her the strongest starting point it possibly could.

"I learnt how to think like a designer and how to take feedback like a professional.”

What you get at Shillington that uni doesn’t give you (until year 3)

• A portfolio you’re proud to show: From your very first brief, you’ll be building towards a job-ready portfolio that makes employers take notice.
  
• Design skills. Not just lectures: Learn Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, branding, packaging, typography and more. Understand design systems and creative thinking from day one.
  
• Real industry preparation: You’ll get feedback from practicing designers, present your work, build confidence and finish the course ready to work.
  
• A creative, supportive community: You’ll be learning with people of all ages and backgrounds. Career changers. Creatives. People who want something more.

But what about the social side of uni?

We get it. The “student life” stuff is a big draw. But Ellie puts it best:

“I made lifelong friends in just three months. It’s intense, it’s supportive and we’re still in touch now.”

Shillington’s classes are built for collaboration. You’ll work together, give feedback and push each other forward. That’s where the real bonds are made.

No debt. No waiting. Just design.

Shillington costs about the same as one year of university. But you graduate in months, not years. And many of our grads land jobs soon after the course ends.

“It was the best decision I made for my career,” says Ella. “Some of my friends are just finishing uni now. I’ve been working in design for five years.”

If you didn’t get into uni, or you’re questioning whether it’s right for you, know this: there’s another way.

A way to fast-track your creative career. To skip the lectures and start designing. To build the portfolio that gets you hired.

This is your moment. Design your future.

Explore Shillington Graphic Design Course now!