Hear straight from our graduates.
What I love about being a designer is that I get to create something from nothing every single day. We are given the unique power to shape the way those around us perceive things.
Senior Designer, Time Inc.
Sam Jacobs
How did you find the Shillington classroom environment?
It was like staring at a blank page. Each morning you could reinvent yourself and that was a terrifying and yet exhilarating experience. Without knowing what the day would hold, you had no choice but to dive in and see what happened. By the end of the day, with the help of the amazing teachers, you had produced something you never thought you could do before, and bit by bit, you discovered who you were and what you were meant to be. It was intense, but the reward was always worth it.
What would you say to someone who is skeptical about the Shillington course?
I would say that Shillington is a magical place but only if you are willing to put in the time and effort to see it through. There is no secret formula that by signing up you are guaranteed to come out with an amazing portfolio and it is hard work that takes discipline and a lot of late nights. If you truly take this program seriously, you will come out of it with everything you need to land the job of your dreams.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
Don’t try to be someone you are not. Yes, you are learning a completely new career, but we all have different things that we bring with us, and those things come out in the briefs you work on. It is what separates you from anyone else, and what allows you to create designs that actually mean something, designs that aren’t generic or cookie-cutter. I don’t think I really realized this about Shillington until having to answer this question but no matter what career you choose to pursue after Shillington, design related or not, you will have a better understanding of who you are and what you are passionate about. That is the type of lesson that you cannot put a price tag on, and one that you will keep with you for the rest of your life.
Visit Sam’s website and read his full interview on the blog.
Rachel Urquhart
Founder, Pony Gold Studio
Lori Beth Kaye
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Ray Wong
Designer, Oink Creative
Keiran McCann
Graphic Designer, Victoria’s Secret
Emily Campos
UX Designer, Wix
Jaira Adlawan
Senior Visual Designer, Sephora
Ani Monteleone
Designer, The Wall Street Journal
Hamish Snow
Designer, Josephmark
Eleanor Robertson
Designer, Paul Belford Ltd
Gerald Torto
Strategist, Re Agency
Linda Gao
Designer, HBO
Ella Donald & Charlotte Carnegie Brown
Co-Founders, Studio Duzi
Will Batrouney
Graphic Designer, Ignite Online
Sinead Murphy
Freelance Graphic Designer
Bianca Oggiano
Designer, Design Haus Liberty
Christopher J Porter
Designer, I See Sea
Dominika Stanczyk
Designer, Open Water
Katie Lodge
Business Development Manager, Frost* collective
Amee Wilson
Art Director, Clemenger BBDO
Jordan Demetriou
Junior Designer, Principals
Ashley Ronning
Illustrator and Founder of Helio Press
Emily Somers
Founder, Bravery Co.
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
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
What I love about being a designer is that I get to create something from nothing every single day. We are given the unique power to shape the way those around us perceive things.
Senior Designer, Time Inc.
Sam Jacobs
How did you find the Shillington classroom environment?
It was like staring at a blank page. Each morning you could reinvent yourself and that was a terrifying and yet exhilarating experience. Without knowing what the day would hold, you had no choice but to dive in and see what happened. By the end of the day, with the help of the amazing teachers, you had produced something you never thought you could do before, and bit by bit, you discovered who you were and what you were meant to be. It was intense, but the reward was always worth it.
What would you say to someone who is skeptical about the Shillington course?
I would say that Shillington is a magical place but only if you are willing to put in the time and effort to see it through. There is no secret formula that by signing up you are guaranteed to come out with an amazing portfolio and it is hard work that takes discipline and a lot of late nights. If you truly take this program seriously, you will come out of it with everything you need to land the job of your dreams.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
Don’t try to be someone you are not. Yes, you are learning a completely new career, but we all have different things that we bring with us, and those things come out in the briefs you work on. It is what separates you from anyone else, and what allows you to create designs that actually mean something, designs that aren’t generic or cookie-cutter. I don’t think I really realized this about Shillington until having to answer this question but no matter what career you choose to pursue after Shillington, design related or not, you will have a better understanding of who you are and what you are passionate about. That is the type of lesson that you cannot put a price tag on, and one that you will keep with you for the rest of your life.
Visit Sam’s website and read his full interview on the blog.
Henriette van Baren
Graphic Designer, ABC Carpet & Home