Hear straight from our graduates.
I’d say if you’re passionate about design and are willing to put in the work, definitely do it. I loved my class and my classmates and now I can’t imagine doing anything else as a career. Shillington really prepares you with all the skills you need to enter the workplace afterwards.
Designer, HBO
Linda Gao
What were you up to before Shillington?
I was working in project management for various advertising and media agencies. As much as I liked the companies I worked for, I always felt like I was on the wrong side of the team, and gravitated towards the creative side.
Why did you decide to go back to school for design, after already getting a university degree?
I had been interested in art and design since I was a kid but never considered pursuing it as a higher education, nor did I understand what Graphic Design is really about. Only after graduating from college and working in the agency world-I realized it’s something that I want to pursue more seriously.
I chose Shillington because it offered the exact type of classes I was looking for. At the time I wanted to find a program that taught the ins and outs of design without having to commit to a 4 year degree. The 3 months full time course at Shillington seemed ideal. I was impressed by their student portfolios and after attending an Info Session, I knew it was the right choice for me.
Who were your Shillington teachers and what were the biggest lessons they taught you?
I had Holly, Sumayya, Dailey and Matt as my teachers. They were all wonderful. The biggest lesson that I’ve learned is that often times when you’re stuck on a design or can’t seem to move forward, it’s best to take a step back and look at the big picture instead of changing minor things here and there. Sometimes you need to change something drastic—whether in scale, hierarchy or color—to really make an impact.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?
I’d say if you’re passionate about design and are willing to put in the work, definitely do it. I loved my class and my classmates (some of them are still my close design friends today) and I now can’t imagine doing anything else as a career. Shillington really prepares you with all the skills you need to enter the workplace afterwards.
However it does take a lot of hard work and determination. It’s very fast paced and stressful at times and you have to love the process as much as the results. If you can do that then you’ll come out with an awesome portfolio.
Visit Linda’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
Veronica Humphris
Digital Designer, Mapway
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
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
I’d say if you’re passionate about design and are willing to put in the work, definitely do it. I loved my class and my classmates and now I can’t imagine doing anything else as a career. Shillington really prepares you with all the skills you need to enter the workplace afterwards.
Designer, HBO
Linda Gao
What were you up to before Shillington?
I was working in project management for various advertising and media agencies. As much as I liked the companies I worked for, I always felt like I was on the wrong side of the team, and gravitated towards the creative side.
Why did you decide to go back to school for design, after already getting a university degree?
I had been interested in art and design since I was a kid but never considered pursuing it as a higher education, nor did I understand what Graphic Design is really about. Only after graduating from college and working in the agency world-I realized it’s something that I want to pursue more seriously.
I chose Shillington because it offered the exact type of classes I was looking for. At the time I wanted to find a program that taught the ins and outs of design without having to commit to a 4 year degree. The 3 months full time course at Shillington seemed ideal. I was impressed by their student portfolios and after attending an Info Session, I knew it was the right choice for me.
Who were your Shillington teachers and what were the biggest lessons they taught you?
I had Holly, Sumayya, Dailey and Matt as my teachers. They were all wonderful. The biggest lesson that I’ve learned is that often times when you’re stuck on a design or can’t seem to move forward, it’s best to take a step back and look at the big picture instead of changing minor things here and there. Sometimes you need to change something drastic—whether in scale, hierarchy or color—to really make an impact.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?
I’d say if you’re passionate about design and are willing to put in the work, definitely do it. I loved my class and my classmates (some of them are still my close design friends today) and I now can’t imagine doing anything else as a career. Shillington really prepares you with all the skills you need to enter the workplace afterwards.
However it does take a lot of hard work and determination. It’s very fast paced and stressful at times and you have to love the process as much as the results. If you can do that then you’ll come out with an awesome portfolio.
Visit Linda’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
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