Hear straight from our graduates.
Shillington was a great way to continue our adventure. Now that I have the design skills, I feel like I could become a digital nomad and work anywhere!
Digital Designer, Mapway
Veronica Humphris
What were you up to before Shillington and why did you decide to study design?
My previous career was as a theatre producer in London. I loved managing a theatre building, putting together theatre, art and dance productions, but I wanted a change. It was important to me to explore my creativity, and take a break from the pace of London. In 2017, my partner and I got married, and decided to take a career gap year to travel round the world. We travelled through India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the West Coast of America. We also lived for 2 months on Crete, which was a dream we’d had for the last ten years.
When we came back to the UK last year, Manchester seemed like a great place to study. I’d been to a Shillington Info Session before, and we felt it was a great way to continue our adventure. Now that I have the design skills, I feel like I could become a digital nomad and work anywhere!
What have you been up to since graduating?
After graduating, I started working freelance, mainly on branding projects for theatre and film companies whose contacts I’d made when I was in London. I love working with other creative people on their brand identity, and especially when you can get them really excited about the possibilities of their business through mood boards, colour palettes and tone of voice.
I was offered three weeks work experience with award-winning design agency Vivid, where I learnt a huge amount and was lucky enough to attend a design team training course for AfterEffects and Premiere.
In March, I was accepted on a programme called Creative Comeback, that was a crash course for women returning to the creative industries after a career gap. The highlight for me was pitching our group’s creative concept for Guinness to Diageo and the top 4 agencies in Manchester: TWBA, Momentum, McCann and BBC Creative.
I’ve also been overwhelmed by the variety of brilliant creative events that are happening all over Manchester: Ladies Wine & Design Manchester, Breakfast Club Manchester, Craft, Motion North, and of course, PechaKucha. I’m looking forward to going to my first “Ladies that UX” breakfast next week.
You now work for Mapway—who develop travel apps for cities all over the world. What do you do there?
I’m part of the in-house design team, and we do a lot of varied work around all aspects of UX and UI design. We use Sketch for a lot of projects, so that was great to have in my toolkit from Shillington, and helps when I have to tackle tasks using similar software like Framer X for animating transitions, which I’m learning to do at the moment.
The most specialist part of my job is learning the skills of digital cartography: making interactive schematic maps of transport networks. It’s very precise work, and has really sharpened my Illustrator skills: it’s very important that the designs I export are pixel perfect, and strike the right balance between aesthetics and function. I’m currently working on an interactive map of Toronto which will be released in the next few months. I’ll also make all the screenshots and app icon assets for the App Store and Play Store, which I really enjoy. I’m looking forward to a future project we’ve got coming up where I’ll be creating an icon set to be used throughout all of the new apps.
We work collaboratively with the app developers using a ‘Scrum’ framework, which is an agile way of managing software development projects. We do design ‘sprints’ which break our work up into two week chunks of time, and keeps us motivated. It’s fascinating being part of an integrated designer-developer team, working collaboratively to develop useful, beautiful products. I feel my creative decisions are valued, supported and encouraged by the whole team, and I get to use my travel experience too – I really look forward to going to work every day!
Can you give any tips or advice to our fresh graduates?
Yes—I’ve got three top tips:
Be as open to all opportunities as you dare. I was worried when I graduated that I didn’t have a niche, but actually if I’d specialised too early it might have held me back. I thought I’d only be happy working in an agency, but I’m so glad that I was open to working for a company in-house, because it means that I’m continuing to hone my design skills in a new way. It’s a direction I couldn’t have foreseen, but I’m so grateful that I stayed open to the possibilities.
Network your socks off. My current job came about because I met a designer who worked at Mapway at a design event, and he told me about a vacancy they were looking to fill. It can be both scary and tiring to attend a lot of events but it really helps to find others who you can share with. Luckily, I’ve found the Manchester creative scene is very friendly, supportive and eager to be collaborative.
Relax. (this is the one I’m am currently trying to implement more!) I found that in the first few weeks after graduating from Shillington I found it really difficult to be suddenly out of the strict daily routine. I got stressed looking for opportunities and I was worried that I would never get a design job! Make sure you give yourself time to relax and consolidate your skills. Allow time to be inspired by art, seeing friends, gardening or whatever gets your creativity flowing!
Check out Veronica’s website and follow her on Instagram.
Shillington was a great way to continue our adventure. Now that I have the design skills, I feel like I could become a digital nomad and work anywhere!
Digital Designer, Mapway
Veronica Humphris
What were you up to before Shillington and why did you decide to study design?
My previous career was as a theatre producer in London. I loved managing a theatre building, putting together theatre, art and dance productions, but I wanted a change. It was important to me to explore my creativity, and take a break from the pace of London. In 2017, my partner and I got married, and decided to take a career gap year to travel round the world. We travelled through India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the West Coast of America. We also lived for 2 months on Crete, which was a dream we’d had for the last ten years.
When we came back to the UK last year, Manchester seemed like a great place to study. I’d been to a Shillington Info Session before, and we felt it was a great way to continue our adventure. Now that I have the design skills, I feel like I could become a digital nomad and work anywhere!
What have you been up to since graduating?
After graduating, I started working freelance, mainly on branding projects for theatre and film companies whose contacts I’d made when I was in London. I love working with other creative people on their brand identity, and especially when you can get them really excited about the possibilities of their business through mood boards, colour palettes and tone of voice.
I was offered three weeks work experience with award-winning design agency Vivid, where I learnt a huge amount and was lucky enough to attend a design team training course for AfterEffects and Premiere.
In March, I was accepted on a programme called Creative Comeback, that was a crash course for women returning to the creative industries after a career gap. The highlight for me was pitching our group’s creative concept for Guinness to Diageo and the top 4 agencies in Manchester: TWBA, Momentum, McCann and BBC Creative.
I’ve also been overwhelmed by the variety of brilliant creative events that are happening all over Manchester: Ladies Wine & Design Manchester, Breakfast Club Manchester, Craft, Motion North, and of course, PechaKucha. I’m looking forward to going to my first “Ladies that UX” breakfast next week.
You now work for Mapway—who develop travel apps for cities all over the world. What do you do there?
I’m part of the in-house design team, and we do a lot of varied work around all aspects of UX and UI design. We use Sketch for a lot of projects, so that was great to have in my toolkit from Shillington, and helps when I have to tackle tasks using similar software like Framer X for animating transitions, which I’m learning to do at the moment.
The most specialist part of my job is learning the skills of digital cartography: making interactive schematic maps of transport networks. It’s very precise work, and has really sharpened my Illustrator skills: it’s very important that the designs I export are pixel perfect, and strike the right balance between aesthetics and function. I’m currently working on an interactive map of Toronto which will be released in the next few months. I’ll also make all the screenshots and app icon assets for the App Store and Play Store, which I really enjoy. I’m looking forward to a future project we’ve got coming up where I’ll be creating an icon set to be used throughout all of the new apps.
We work collaboratively with the app developers using a ‘Scrum’ framework, which is an agile way of managing software development projects. We do design ‘sprints’ which break our work up into two week chunks of time, and keeps us motivated. It’s fascinating being part of an integrated designer-developer team, working collaboratively to develop useful, beautiful products. I feel my creative decisions are valued, supported and encouraged by the whole team, and I get to use my travel experience too – I really look forward to going to work every day!
Can you give any tips or advice to our fresh graduates?
Yes—I’ve got three top tips:
Be as open to all opportunities as you dare. I was worried when I graduated that I didn’t have a niche, but actually if I’d specialised too early it might have held me back. I thought I’d only be happy working in an agency, but I’m so glad that I was open to working for a company in-house, because it means that I’m continuing to hone my design skills in a new way. It’s a direction I couldn’t have foreseen, but I’m so grateful that I stayed open to the possibilities.
Network your socks off. My current job came about because I met a designer who worked at Mapway at a design event, and he told me about a vacancy they were looking to fill. It can be both scary and tiring to attend a lot of events but it really helps to find others who you can share with. Luckily, I’ve found the Manchester creative scene is very friendly, supportive and eager to be collaborative.
Relax. (this is the one I’m am currently trying to implement more!) I found that in the first few weeks after graduating from Shillington I found it really difficult to be suddenly out of the strict daily routine. I got stressed looking for opportunities and I was worried that I would never get a design job! Make sure you give yourself time to relax and consolidate your skills. Allow time to be inspired by art, seeing friends, gardening or whatever gets your creativity flowing!
Check out Veronica’s website and follow her on Instagram.
Lauren Danger Koste
Studio Manager at The Design Kids
Robyn M-C
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lauren Stevens
Freelance Graphic Designer/ Junior Designer at NRMA
Karen Liang
Learning Experience Designer at Standards Australia
Ayesha Mansour
Freelance Designer, Aah Yes Studio
Georgia Latham
Intern at Imagist
Natasha Michels
Designer at Nine Publishing and Creative Director at Sweaty City magazine
Mary Lin
Graphic Designer, Colette Werden
Carla Zimbler
VJ and Designer, Tszuj
Wyatt Welles
Freelance Graphic Designer
Sophie Bo Schmidt
Senior UX Consultant at PeakXD
Sivim Ly
Junior Graphic Designer at Loeffler Randall
Ben Thaler
Junior Designer at Common
Liam Speranza
Associate Design Manager at Tushy
Em Storey
Junior Designer, NU Creative
Natalie Taylor
Designer, Mobkoi
Ella Caseley
Winner of the Shillington x Champion Agency Scholarship
Oyinkan Karunwi
Founder at Aseda Design Agency
Sylvan Hillebrand
Midweight Creative at HarrimanSteel
Maria Vazquez
Freelance Designer and Art Director
Alessandra Conti
Designer, RAPP
Elizabeth Diffey
Freelance Graphic Designer, Spotify
Majo Crespo
Co-Founder and Strategic Designer, Facético
Lorenzo Mengolini
UX Designer, AKQA
Abbey Swinn
Designer, Frost*collective
Angeline Chan
Communications Specialist, The University of Melbourne
Julia Hoolahan
Art Director, Home Beautiful
Seyi Ogunlade
Freelance Graphic Designer and Photographer
Rory Knibbs
Designer, The Midnight Club
Jess Goodall
Digital Designer, Pistachio Design
Stephanie Halovanic
Creative Producer, &Walsh
Megan Voo
UX/UI & Content Designer, Ignite Online
Gerald Torto
Strategist, Re Agency
Eman Abdallah
Graphic & Experience Designer, KAIRO
Ariana Villegas
Designer, Simplecast
Ray Wong
Designer, Oink Creative
Johanna Hagenauer
Brand / Product Designer, Rexlabs
Kris Klein
Experience Design + Videography at AKQA
Emily Campos
UX Designer, Wix
Rawin Keo
Lead Graphic Designer, Dermalogica
Mark Osmond
Designer, Thumbs Up!
Vanessa Bertagnole
Graphic Multimedia Designer, Surf Life Saving Queensland
Araki Koman
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Arwa Al-Salam
Designer, Human Appeal
Benny Hinman
Designer, Frost*collective
Em Stokes
Junior Designer, MOO
Veronica Humphris
Digital Designer, Mapway
Leila Bartholet
Designer, Chandelier
Jared Worthington
Designer at Media Playground
Alexandra Francis
Designer, Flow Creative
Benjamin Ngooi
Graphic Designer, Cox Architecture
Sophie Lord
Creative Director, Hello May
Khadijah Adbul Nabi
Freelance Graphic Designer
Frankie Young
Founder, Studio Neubau
Ella Donald & Charlotte Carnegie Brown
Co-Founders, Studio Duzi
Amy Forsyth
Graphic Designer, Alfresco Emporium
Jaira Adlawan
Senior Visual Designer, Sephora
Jamie Krups
Creative at Stab Magazine
Keiran McCann
Graphic Designer, Victoria’s Secret
Greg Bemis
Creative, Nike
Anastasiia Vinnichenko
Designer, ToyFight
Lori Beth Kaye
Senior Product Designer, The Iconic
Megan Dweck
Visual Designer, McKinsey & Company
James Freebairn
Junior Graphic Designer, Dark Mofo
Irina Manning
UX Designer, Manning Labs
Shannon Gordon
Designer, R/GA
Sinead Murphy
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lauren Koste
Freelance Designer and Craft Beer Specialist
Ani Monteleone
Designer, The Wall Street Journal
Caitlin Clancy
Designer, The New York Times
Miwako Suzuki
Integrated Creative Director
Linda Gao
Designer, HBO
Rachel Urquhart
Founder, Pony Gold Studio
Will Batrouney
Graphic Designer, Ignite Online
Ellie Pinney
Freelance Designer
Katie Lodge
Business Development Manager, Frost* collective
Joseph Lebus
Designer, Made Thought
Jordan Demetriou
Junior Designer, Principals
Hamish Snow
Product Designer, Rexlabs
Emily Somers
Founder, Bravery Co.
Eleanor Robertson
Designer, Paul Belford Ltd
Estefi Panizza
Junior Designer, Design Bridge
Erin Gale
Designer, Target
Kylie Meller
Founder, duosista Web and Graphic Design
Yarron Frauenfelder
Design Director
Bianca Chu
Senior Designer, eBay
Bianca Oggiano
Designer, FutureBrand
Alexander Rog
Junior Designer, oOh!
Christopher J Porter
Designer, I See Sea
Babeth Olde Hanter
Junior Art Director, SOV
Chrystal Christie
Photographer/Graphic Designer, One Round Entertainment
Tally Thompson
Graphic Designer, Awesome Creative
Dominika Stanczyk
Designer, Open Water
Lindsay Koffler
Graphic Designer, Refinery29
Amee Wilson
Art Director, Clemenger BBDO
Lily Moore
Designer at Sotheby’s
Braden Floris
Designer, GoFundMe
Ashley Ronning
Illustrator and Founder of Helio Press
Tahmena Lutfi
Digital Designer, Qantas and Jetstar Hotels
Anara Davletaliyeva
UX Designer and Developer, Appliances Online
Tiffany Yee
Designer, Forever 21
Amy Sheehan
Art Director, Insider Inc.
Emma Ladlow
Designer, University of Nottingham Students' Union
Alexis Waller
Design Director, R/GA
Halah El Kholy
In-House Designer, Brew Tea Co
Jess White
Junior Graphic Designer, Just Media Design
Bobby Hendry
Designer, Brilliant Logic
Jessica Bakker
Junior Graphic Designer, Beyond Communications
Lauren Dannenberg
Designer, Mary's Group
Arnold Omanyo
UX/UI Designer, Digital on Demand
Dawn Moloney
Founder, A Making Life
Miranda Mayne
Freelance Graphic Designer
Caroline Keefe
Freelance, Nickelodeon
Paul and Amoni Liddell
Graphic Designers, Westpac CX and Feel
Meredith Wallis
Designer, King & Partners
Ocki Magill
Founder, Letter Bug Studios
Victoire Scherer
Junior Graphic Designer, Neoscape
Anika George
Designer, AKQA
Liana Modolo
UX Designer, Rex Software
Kelly Hansen
Graphic Designer, Amazon Books
Mikel McCavana
Designer, Moment
Alexander Wu-Kim
Concept Creative, ANDPEOPLE Australia
Jing Ong
Designer, Autumn
Kirsten McColl
Designer, WH-O
Nicole Rogers
Designer, Birchbox
Pooja Dharia
Branding Designer, FCB Health
Erin Donati
Founder, Harley Quinn & Co.
Jackson Todd
Art Director, Van Der Zwaag
Andy Vargas
Designer, Bitâcora
Moshe Bien
Designer, Nucleus
Crystal Lin
Designer, DNA Design
Stephen Grace
Designer, Christopher Doyle & Co.
Eleanor Rogers
Letterpress Printer, Chapel Press
Andy Tharagonnet
Designer, ThumbsUp
Ben Peters
Freelance Graphic Designer
Brad Holten
Designer, Big Idea
Natalia Baker
Freelance Graphic Designer
Molly Sitter
Studio Designer, Spring St. Social Society
Guy Pittard
Freelance Graphic Designer
Bea Sambalido
Freelance Graphic Designer
Peta Harris
Graphic Designer, Macquarie University
Oceane Combeau
Designer, Fernand et Firmin
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
Roo Cassels
Designer, Big Fish
Nicol Reid
Founder, Little Creative
James Birks
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
David Scott
Designer, The Mix
Jane Durlacher
Graphic Designer, Paper Stone Scissors
Rachel Lee
Freelance Graphic Designer
Janno Saft
Founder, frank wo
Sean Raynor
Designer, Watermark Studio
Vanessa Burgess
Graphic Designer, Tritium
Olivier Adam
Freelance Graphic Designer
Cari Sekendur
Art Director, LMNOP Creative
Alexandra Menzies
Freelance Graphic Designer
Margherita Baldi
Freelance Visual 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
Sam Jacobs
Senior Designer, Time Inc.
Ulrika Johnson
Designer, Fantasia Accessories
Henriette van Baren
Graphic Designer, ABC Carpet & Home
Charly Tudor
Graphic Designer, Holdens
Lola Irwanto
Graphic Designer, Princess Polly