Hear straight from our graduates.
The techniques and processes you’ll learn are hugely valued in the real-world of graphic design. I use all of the skills that I learned at Shillington every day in my role now.
Junior Designer, NU Creative
Em Storey
You were working in the industry as an account/project manager for 8 years before enrolling at Shillington! Why did you decide to take the plunge and become a designer?
I really enjoyed my time working in account management. I learned a huge amount about how agencies function, how to get under the skin of what clients need from a creative team and how to deliver this for them. During this time I was also lucky enough to work closely alongside designers and creative directors and my admiration for the creative process grew and grew. As time went on and I became more senior, I felt I was becoming more removed from the creative work and was missing it hugely. I spent some time reflecting on the areas of my work which I enjoyed most and what gave me the most satisfaction. And, quite naturally, this led me to consider the wild idea of shifting my focus entirely and seeing if I had what it takes to embrace a fully creative role. Honestly, it was a terrifying prospect to consider retraining after having built a career in client services, and I had no idea where to start or if it was even possible. That’s where Shillington was the perfect fit for me.
Back in 2009, you studied for an MA in Graphic Design. How did the Shillington course differ from a more traditional university setting?
The MA was a very different learning environment to Shillington. I think traditionally students doing an MA would have already studied a BA in Graphic Design, but (again) I had taken a slightly different route in. The MA was a great place to explore high-level conceptual thinking and also to experiment and play, without restriction, with your own personal creative practice. I got a huge amount from this, but I felt like I came away without the fundamental technical skills that I needed at that time to become a designer. This is where Shillington really stands out, in that there is a huge focus on developing very practical skills and learning how to apply these in an studio-like environment.
How did the Shillington course build on any existing skills you already had from your time in the industry?
From my time working in project management, I already had a pretty good understanding of how to interrogate a brief, how to approach a creative challenge and the processes that take you through a project from start to finish. The Shillington course really helped me build on that knowledge, but from a designer’s perspective—enabling me with all the skills I needed to fulfil the brief.
How was your Shillington experience? Did you form any close bonds with your classmates in the three months you studied with us?
I absolutely loved my time at Shillington. It was immensely challenging, but every day it felt like you had achieved something huge, which is so important when you’re so far out of your comfort zone.You also meet people from such varied backgrounds and walks of life and everyone has very different reasons for coming to Shillington.
You collaborate with classmates a lot throughout the course, so you get to know everyone very well, and by the end you really get close with everyone and very much rely on their support and encouragement! It very much feels like you’ve all gone through a huge life-altering experience together, as a team, so the connections you forge are sure to last!
What would you say to someone who is skeptical about studying at Shillington? Any tips?
I would say that if you’re considering the transition into becoming a designer, then Shillington is absolutely the way to go. For me it was perfect as it allowed me to completely shift my career in a very focused way, over a very short period of time. The techniques and processes you’ll learn are hugely valued in the real-world of graphic design. I use all of the skills that I learned at Shillington every day in my role now.
I’ve also been told on numerous occasions that Shillington graduates really stand out from the crowd in what is a hugely competitive market for junior designers, so that’s a huge advantage over other programmes.
If you’ve decided to take the plunge, then my advice would be to throw yourself in and fully embrace the fact that at times it will be hard, but the reward is so worth it!
Visit Em’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
The techniques and processes you’ll learn are hugely valued in the real-world of graphic design. I use all of the skills that I learned at Shillington every day in my role now.
Junior Designer, NU Creative
Em Storey
You were working in the industry as an account/project manager for 8 years before enrolling at Shillington! Why did you decide to take the plunge and become a designer?
I really enjoyed my time working in account management. I learned a huge amount about how agencies function, how to get under the skin of what clients need from a creative team and how to deliver this for them. During this time I was also lucky enough to work closely alongside designers and creative directors and my admiration for the creative process grew and grew. As time went on and I became more senior, I felt I was becoming more removed from the creative work and was missing it hugely. I spent some time reflecting on the areas of my work which I enjoyed most and what gave me the most satisfaction. And, quite naturally, this led me to consider the wild idea of shifting my focus entirely and seeing if I had what it takes to embrace a fully creative role. Honestly, it was a terrifying prospect to consider retraining after having built a career in client services, and I had no idea where to start or if it was even possible. That’s where Shillington was the perfect fit for me.
Back in 2009, you studied for an MA in Graphic Design. How did the Shillington course differ from a more traditional university setting?
The MA was a very different learning environment to Shillington. I think traditionally students doing an MA would have already studied a BA in Graphic Design, but (again) I had taken a slightly different route in. The MA was a great place to explore high-level conceptual thinking and also to experiment and play, without restriction, with your own personal creative practice. I got a huge amount from this, but I felt like I came away without the fundamental technical skills that I needed at that time to become a designer. This is where Shillington really stands out, in that there is a huge focus on developing very practical skills and learning how to apply these in an studio-like environment.
How did the Shillington course build on any existing skills you already had from your time in the industry?
From my time working in project management, I already had a pretty good understanding of how to interrogate a brief, how to approach a creative challenge and the processes that take you through a project from start to finish. The Shillington course really helped me build on that knowledge, but from a designer’s perspective—enabling me with all the skills I needed to fulfil the brief.
How was your Shillington experience? Did you form any close bonds with your classmates in the three months you studied with us?
I absolutely loved my time at Shillington. It was immensely challenging, but every day it felt like you had achieved something huge, which is so important when you’re so far out of your comfort zone.You also meet people from such varied backgrounds and walks of life and everyone has very different reasons for coming to Shillington.
You collaborate with classmates a lot throughout the course, so you get to know everyone very well, and by the end you really get close with everyone and very much rely on their support and encouragement! It very much feels like you’ve all gone through a huge life-altering experience together, as a team, so the connections you forge are sure to last!
What would you say to someone who is skeptical about studying at Shillington? Any tips?
I would say that if you’re considering the transition into becoming a designer, then Shillington is absolutely the way to go. For me it was perfect as it allowed me to completely shift my career in a very focused way, over a very short period of time. The techniques and processes you’ll learn are hugely valued in the real-world of graphic design. I use all of the skills that I learned at Shillington every day in my role now.
I’ve also been told on numerous occasions that Shillington graduates really stand out from the crowd in what is a hugely competitive market for junior designers, so that’s a huge advantage over other programmes.
If you’ve decided to take the plunge, then my advice would be to throw yourself in and fully embrace the fact that at times it will be hard, but the reward is so worth it!
Visit Em’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
Suparom Ronyut
Creative Fellow at Rare with Google
Becky Dore
Designer at OnThree
Mason El Hage
Art Director at monopo
Ana Perez
Founder of Anecdota Studio
Claudia Costa
Freelance Graphic Designer
Shireen Roy
Freelance Graphic Designer
Daniele Regan
Founder of Danibydsgn
Michelle Crocker
Freelance Designer for Film and TV
Anuja Shukla
Creative Specialist at Twitter
Jeremy Somers
Founder and Creative Director of We Are Handsome
Jess Mosoph
Junior Creative at Dinosaur
Carolyn Kao
Product Designer, Robinhood
Rob Key
Founder of Studio Change and Change Space
Carl McBride
Junior Designer at Toyfight
Melody Yee
Lead Designer at
The Daily Edited
Darsh Seneviratne
Designer at Canva
Matt McKay
Designer at Kensa Creative
Ximena Jimenez
Web Designer at Blackmagic Design
Kinda Savarino
Designer at Billion Dollar Boy
Chantel Charchalis
Marketing and Content Creator at The Dog Mum
Tom Noon
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lauren Danger Koste
Studio Manager at The Design Kids
Karina Aslikyan
Freelance Graphic Designer
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
Anna Dai
Freelance Graphic Designer
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
Laura Welch
Enviromental Designer at Sundance Film Festival
Sophie Bo Schmidt
Senior UX Consultant at PeakXD
Sivim Ly
Junior Graphic Designer at Loeffler Randall
Ben Thaler
Junior Designer at Common
Rosylvia Wang
Design and Brand Officer at Historic Houses UK
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, Phantom
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
Graphic Designer, Marketing Agency
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