Hear straight from our graduates.
The course really helped me to elevate my creativity to a completely new level. It gave me a system and a process that I can use to transform any creative concept into a beautiful design project.
Designer, ToyFight
Anastasiia Vinnichenko
How is the Shillington course different from other design programs you considered?
I’ve seriously considered only two options in Manchester—the Shillington course and a graphic design degree at a university. On the surface, the latter seemed to be a more profound real education, but it would take me 3 years without any guarantee to actually apply learnt skills to real life. And to be honest I didn’t want to wait so long. Shillington was the opposite—3 months of intense therapy with a predictable outcome. The studio environment approach and quality of other grads’ portfolios I’ve seen made the choice obvious to me.
What was your experience studying in Manchester and what tips can you offer to other students looking to study internationally?
When I started the course my English wasn’t great and frankly speaking I felt a little bit ashamed of it. There were many other international students at the campus with similar language and cultural barriers. Originally I thought it would be a problem, but then we learned that those differences, in fact, are our advantages rather than weaknesses, and helped us stand out in a creative environment.
I also remember that guest lectures had a big impact on me. It was very inspiring to interact with the industry leaders and learn from their mistakes and success, it helped me a lot with setting my own goals. Use every opportunity to interact, ask, listen and share. And of course, don’t forget to have fun!
Do you think the Shillington course helped build your skillset and prepare you for the design industry?
Absolutely yes. Before Shillington, I only could draw and paint. The course really helped me to elevate my creativity to a completely new level. It gave me a system and a process that I can use to transform any creative concept into a beautiful design project. I like how during the course we gradually built our skillset from the basic to more advanced techniques.
After graduation, I felt very confident in core skills such as typesetting, illustration, fundamentals of digital and packaging design and was already exploring animation. Moreover, my first job seemed a lot easier in comparison to some of the challenges I came across during the course.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
Ask a lot of questions! Teachers and classmates are genuinely supportive. So be decisive on your goals and don’t be scared to ask for help. It’s really only up to you how much you can get from the course—just go for it!
Visit Anastasiia’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
The course really helped me to elevate my creativity to a completely new level. It gave me a system and a process that I can use to transform any creative concept into a beautiful design project.
Designer, ToyFight
Anastasiia Vinnichenko
How is the Shillington course different from other design programs you considered?
I’ve seriously considered only two options in Manchester—the Shillington course and a graphic design degree at a university. On the surface, the latter seemed to be a more profound real education, but it would take me 3 years without any guarantee to actually apply learnt skills to real life. And to be honest I didn’t want to wait so long. Shillington was the opposite—3 months of intense therapy with a predictable outcome. The studio environment approach and quality of other grads’ portfolios I’ve seen made the choice obvious to me.
What was your experience studying in Manchester and what tips can you offer to other students looking to study internationally?
When I started the course my English wasn’t great and frankly speaking I felt a little bit ashamed of it. There were many other international students at the campus with similar language and cultural barriers. Originally I thought it would be a problem, but then we learned that those differences, in fact, are our advantages rather than weaknesses, and helped us stand out in a creative environment.
I also remember that guest lectures had a big impact on me. It was very inspiring to interact with the industry leaders and learn from their mistakes and success, it helped me a lot with setting my own goals. Use every opportunity to interact, ask, listen and share. And of course, don’t forget to have fun!
Do you think the Shillington course helped build your skillset and prepare you for the design industry?
Absolutely yes. Before Shillington, I only could draw and paint. The course really helped me to elevate my creativity to a completely new level. It gave me a system and a process that I can use to transform any creative concept into a beautiful design project. I like how during the course we gradually built our skillset from the basic to more advanced techniques.
After graduation, I felt very confident in core skills such as typesetting, illustration, fundamentals of digital and packaging design and was already exploring animation. Moreover, my first job seemed a lot easier in comparison to some of the challenges I came across during the course.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
Ask a lot of questions! Teachers and classmates are genuinely supportive. So be decisive on your goals and don’t be scared to ask for help. It’s really only up to you how much you can get from the course—just go for it!
Visit Anastasiia’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
Julia Hoolahan
Art Director, Home Beautiful
Seyi Ogunlade
Freelance Graphic Designer and Photographer
Jess Goodall
Digital Designer, Pistachio Design
Stephanie Halovanic
Creative Producer, &Walsh
Megan Voo
UX/UI & Content Designer, Ignite Online
Gerald Torto
Strategist, Re Agency
Romayne Gadelrab
Freelance Graphic Designer
Eman Abdallah
Graphic & Experience Designer, KAIRO
Ariana Villegas
Designer, Simplecast
Ray Wong
Designer, Oink Creative
Johanna Hagenauer
Brand / Product Designer, Rexlabs
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
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
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