Hear straight from our graduates.
I had the classic university experience 10 years ago and really struggled with the traditional approach to learning involving long lectures, textbooks, and exams. Shillington seemed to have the complete opposite approach.
Freelance Designer and Craft Beer Specialist
Lauren Koste
What were you up to before studying at Shillington, and what are you doing now?
A whole bunch of different things! I did everything from teaching figure skating, to pouring beers, to working in public relations. I spent my 20’s in odd jobs and traveled heaps until I realized the only consistent interest I had was design and applied for the Shillington Part-Time course in Melbourne. I graduated a few months ago and have been working as a Freelance Designer and Craft Beer Specialist since.
Why did you choose Shillington?
I always wanted to be a graphic designer but didn’t have the balls to go after it! I hoarded empty beer cans because of their super cool designs, bought products based on their packaging, and obsessed over local businesses with beautiful branding (side note: if you do any of these things, you need to be a graphic designer). The thought of working on creative projects and making a living seemed too good to be true. I thought that in order to be a designer you had to be an illustrator or artist. I was so wrong. Once I got over that assumption I looked into heaps of design programs in Australia, Shillington was high up on my list.
Shillington’s main appeal was the structure of the course: a studio-like environment, very hands-on and just generally preparing you for the real-world. It ticked all my boxes right away! I had the classic university experience 10 years ago and really struggled with the traditional approach to learning involving long lectures, textbooks, and exams. Shillington seemed to have the complete opposite approach. Plus, when I went on the website and saw all the work the #Shillumni put out in only a few months, my mind was blown. How the hell did they pull that off? Everything looked so professional. I had to experience it for myself.
Why do you love working as a designer?
There are so many reasons why I love being a designer. I’m so lucky to be able to work on fun projects, surround myself with passionate creative people and work with my hands as well as in design programs!
I currently work as an in-house designer for an events company in Melbourne and freelance on the side. I’ve worked on some unique projects from making custom matchbooks to designing packaging for a boutique edible cannabis business in L.A. (talk about a niche industry!). I absolutely love learning about my clients and hearing about the passion and vision they have for their business. The more excited they are about the project the more excited I am!
My style is quite unusual as I like to add a ton of handmade elements and playfulness into most briefs. So while I spend tons of time on the computer, I also love to create custom handmade visuals in my workshop using a variety of tools and supplies. I think incorporating custom artwork into a design makes the finished product feel extra special and unique. I’ve always been making things, building stuff, and working on creative projects. I thought all my weird creative interests were just hobbies, didn’t realize I could take those skills and turn it into a career. I seriously can’t believe I get to play around with my welder, paint supplies and blow torch for a living!
Anything else?
Shillington seriously prepared me for being a designer in the real-world. We’re so used to working with tight deadlines and are absolute guns when it comes to creative brainstorming and researching before hitting the computer! It didn’t feel like going to school, it felt like going to work at a studio each day. Studying design at Shillington was the perfect fit for me!
Visit Lauren’s website.
Lola Irwanto
Graphic Designer, Princess Polly
Benny Hinman
Designer, Frost*collective
Khadijah Adbul Nabi
Freelance Graphic Designer
Estefi Panizza
Junior Designer, Design Bridge
Leila Bartholet
Designer, Chandelier
Ray Wong
Designer, Oink Creative
Arwa Al-Salam
Designer, Human Appeal
Babeth Olde Hanter
Junior Art Director, SOV
Amy Forsyth
Graphic Designer, Alfresco Emporium
Jamie Krups
Creative at Stab Magazine
Megan Dweck
Visual Designer, McKinsey & Company
Emily Campos
UX Designer, Wix
Sinead Murphy
Freelance Graphic Designer
Shannon Gordon
Designer, R/GA
Caitlin Clancy
Designer, The New York Times
Gerald Torto
Strategist, Re Agency
Miwako Suzuki
Integrated Creative Director
Rachel Urquhart
Founder, Pony Gold Studio
Ellie Pinney
Freelance Designer
Lauren Koste
Freelance Designer and Craft Beer Specialist
I had the classic university experience 10 years ago and really struggled with the traditional approach to learning involving long lectures, textbooks, and exams. Shillington seemed to have the complete opposite approach.
Freelance Designer and Craft Beer Specialist
Lauren Koste
What were you up to before studying at Shillington, and what are you doing now?
A whole bunch of different things! I did everything from teaching figure skating, to pouring beers, to working in public relations. I spent my 20’s in odd jobs and traveled heaps until I realized the only consistent interest I had was design and applied for the Shillington Part-Time course in Melbourne. I graduated a few months ago and have been working as a Freelance Designer and Craft Beer Specialist since.
Why did you choose Shillington?
I always wanted to be a graphic designer but didn’t have the balls to go after it! I hoarded empty beer cans because of their super cool designs, bought products based on their packaging, and obsessed over local businesses with beautiful branding (side note: if you do any of these things, you need to be a graphic designer). The thought of working on creative projects and making a living seemed too good to be true. I thought that in order to be a designer you had to be an illustrator or artist. I was so wrong. Once I got over that assumption I looked into heaps of design programs in Australia, Shillington was high up on my list.
Shillington’s main appeal was the structure of the course: a studio-like environment, very hands-on and just generally preparing you for the real-world. It ticked all my boxes right away! I had the classic university experience 10 years ago and really struggled with the traditional approach to learning involving long lectures, textbooks, and exams. Shillington seemed to have the complete opposite approach. Plus, when I went on the website and saw all the work the #Shillumni put out in only a few months, my mind was blown. How the hell did they pull that off? Everything looked so professional. I had to experience it for myself.
Why do you love working as a designer?
There are so many reasons why I love being a designer. I’m so lucky to be able to work on fun projects, surround myself with passionate creative people and work with my hands as well as in design programs!
I currently work as an in-house designer for an events company in Melbourne and freelance on the side. I’ve worked on some unique projects from making custom matchbooks to designing packaging for a boutique edible cannabis business in L.A. (talk about a niche industry!). I absolutely love learning about my clients and hearing about the passion and vision they have for their business. The more excited they are about the project the more excited I am!
My style is quite unusual as I like to add a ton of handmade elements and playfulness into most briefs. So while I spend tons of time on the computer, I also love to create custom handmade visuals in my workshop using a variety of tools and supplies. I think incorporating custom artwork into a design makes the finished product feel extra special and unique. I’ve always been making things, building stuff, and working on creative projects. I thought all my weird creative interests were just hobbies, didn’t realize I could take those skills and turn it into a career. I seriously can’t believe I get to play around with my welder, paint supplies and blow torch for a living!
Anything else?
Shillington seriously prepared me for being a designer in the real-world. We’re so used to working with tight deadlines and are absolute guns when it comes to creative brainstorming and researching before hitting the computer! It didn’t feel like going to school, it felt like going to work at a studio each day. Studying design at Shillington was the perfect fit for me!
Visit Lauren’s website.
Joseph Lebus
Designer, Made Thought
Eman Abdallah
Graphic & Experience Designer, KAIRO
James Freebairn
Junior Graphic Designer, Dark Mofo
Lori Beth Kaye
Senior Product Designer, The Iconic
Anastasiia Vinnichenko
Designer, Tile Creative
Araki Koman
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Keiran McCann
Graphic Designer, Victoria’s Secret
Jaira Adlawan
Senior Visual Designer, Sephora
Ani Monteleone
Designer, The Wall Street Journal
Hamish Snow
Product Designer, Rexlabs
Eleanor Robertson
Designer, Paul Belford Ltd
Linda Gao
Designer, HBO
Kylie Meller
Founder, duosista Web and Graphic Design
Ella Donald & Charlotte Carnegie Brown
Co-Founders, Studio Duzi
Will Batrouney
Graphic Designer, Ignite Online
Bianca Oggiano
Designer, FutureBrand
Christopher J Porter
Designer, I See Sea
Dominika Stanczyk
Designer, Open Water
Katie Lodge
Business Development Manager, Frost* collective
Vanessa Bertagnole
Graphic Multimedia Designer, Surf Life Saving Queensland
Amee Wilson
Art Director, Clemenger BBDO
Jordan Demetriou
Junior Designer, Principals
Ashley Ronning
Illustrator and Founder of Helio Press
Emily Somers
Founder, Bravery Co.
Yarron Frauenfelder
Design Director
Anara Davletaliyeva
UX Designer and Developer, Appliances Online
Erin Gale
Designer, Target
Tiffany Yee
Designer, Forever 21
Amy Sheehan
Art Director, Insider Inc.
Emma Ladlow
Designer, University of Nottingham Students' Union
Braden Floris
Designer, GoFundMe
Alexis Waller
Design Director, R/GA
Halah El Kholy
In-House Designer, Brew Tea Co
Jess White
Junior Graphic Designer, Just Media Design
Alexander Rog
Junior Designer, oOh!
Jessica Bakker
Junior Graphic Designer, Beyond Communications
Bianca Chu
Senior Designer, eBay
Tally Thompson
Graphic Designer, Awesome Creative
Greg Bemis
Creative, Nike
Arnold Omanyo
UX/UI Designer, Digital on Demand
Tahmena Lutfi
Digital Designer, Qantas and Jetstar Hotels
Meredith Wallis
Designer, King & Partners
Miranda Mayne
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lindsay Koffler
Graphic Designer, Refinery29
Bobby Hendry
Designer, Brilliant Logic
Anika George
Designer, AKQA
Mark Osmond
Designer, Thumbs Up!
Lily Moore
Designer at Sotheby’s
Liana Modolo
UX Designer, Rex Software
Victoire Scherer
Junior Graphic Designer, Neoscape
Mikel McCavana
Designer, Moment
Kelly Hansen
Graphic Designer, Amazon Books
Alexander Wu-Kim
Concept Creative, ANDPEOPLE Australia
Kirsten McColl
Designer, WH-O
Nicole Rogers
Designer, Birchbox
Frankie Young
Founder, Studio Neubau
Pooja Dharia
Branding Designer, FCB Health
Jackson Todd
Art Director, Van Der Zwaag
Dawn Moloney
Founder, A Making Life
Caroline Keefe
Freelance, Nickelodeon
Sophie Lord
Creative Director, Hello May
Ocki Magill
Founder, Letter Bug Studios
Andy Vargas
Designer, Bitâcora
Moshe Bien
Designer, Nucleus
Crystal Lin
Designer, DNA Design
Stephen Grace
Designer, Christopher Doyle & Co.
Jing Ong
Designer, Autumn
Paul and Amoni Liddell
Graphic Designers, Westpac CX and Feel
Eleanor Rogers
Letterpress Printer, Chapel Press
Andy Tharagonnet
Designer, ThumbsUp
Erin Donati
Founder, Harley Quinn & Co.
Ben Peters
Freelance Graphic Designer
Brad Holten
Designer, Big Idea
Natalia Baker
Freelance Graphic Designer
Guy Pittard
Freelance Graphic Designer
Bea Sambalido
Freelance Graphic Designer
Oceane Combeau
Designer, Fernand et Firmin
Charly Tudor
Graphic Designer, Holdens
Anna Mullin
Illustrator, Sneaky Racoon
Theo Witrylak
Visual Designer, EPAM
Stephanie Antill
Founder, St Clement Creative
Paul McKie and Myles Sharpe
Directors, Autumn
Pete Conforto
Designer, For The People
Nicol Reid
Founder, Little Creative
David Scott
Designer, The Mix
James Birks
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Jane Durlacher
Graphic Designer, Paper Stone Scissors
Rachel Lee
Freelance Graphic Designer
Romayne Gadelrab
Freelance Graphic Designer
Janno Saft
Founder, frank wo
Roo Cassels
Designer, Big Fish
Vanessa Burgess
Graphic Designer, Tritium
Olivier Adam
Freelance Graphic Designer
Molly Sitter
Studio Designer, Spring St. Social Society
Cari Sekendur
Art Director, LMNOP Creative
Alexandra Menzies
Freelance Graphic Designer
Tim Jones
Brand Experience Director, venturethree
Carla Scotto
Freelance Graphic Designer
Meg Walker
Designer, Milkshake
Christina Capetola
Designer at Wayfair
Louise Hamer
Design Lead, We Are Empire
Ina Estrada
Founder, Par Vous Designs
Chrystal Christie
Photographer/Graphic Designer, One Round Entertainment
Ulrika Johnson
Designer, Fantasia Accessories
Sam Jacobs
Senior Designer, Time Inc.
Sean Raynor
Designer, Watermark Studio
Irina Manning
UX Designer, Manning Labs
Margherita Baldi
Freelance Visual Designer
Henriette van Baren
Graphic Designer, ABC Carpet & Home