Hear straight from our graduates.
Believe in yourself—you are better than you think you are. Embrace criticism and don’t take it personally. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
UX Designer, Manning Labs
Irina Manning
What were you up to before Shillington and why did you decide to study design?
I studied foreign languages at a university and have a degree in linguistics and literature. I have always enjoyed languages. I speak English, Russian, French, German, Spanish and Italian. But I also have always found myself doing something creative as a hobby: photography, drawing, painting, creative writing, calligraphy—you name it. So, when I moved to New York City—with all the inspiration and opportunities it has to offer—I decided to try myself in the creative world. I wanted to follow my dream but I also wanted to be practical. In other words, I wanted my new dream profession to be fun for me but also in demand and well-paid. After a lot of research, I made a decision to become a UX designer. That’s how I ended up at Shillington. The Shillington graphic design course gave me everything I needed to start my creative journey.
You studied in the full-time course in New York. Can you tell us about your experience?
It was absolutely fantastic. First of all, I loved the way the course is structured. I was completely new to design and was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I shouldn’t have worried. The course assumes that everyone is a beginner. It starts with the very basics and gradually progresses to more and more advanced topics. Second, the course is mainly focused on practical tasks and gives very little (but just enough) theory. The learning process basically emulates the working atmosphere of professional designers—with all the challenges, pressure, deadlines, design critiques and team-work. It was so inspiring. Third, the teachers are awesome. Dedicated, talented, knowledgeable. They encouraged us, helped us, supported us every step of the way. I wouldn’t have done it without Peter and Cindy. Last but not least, the location. I was a design student in New. York. City. Need I say more?
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?
I couldn’t recommend Shillington more highly to anyone thinking of changing careers. The course is a great alternative to a college education. It is not too long, affordable, and of great quality. However, make no mistake—it is indeed an intensive course. Be ready to work very hard, to challenge yourself in every way, to live and breathe graphic design for the duration of the course.
What do you love about being a UX designer? What was it like launching your own company, Manning Labs?
I love UX design because it is both creative and technical. I get to be a part of both the creative and the development processes. There is so much to UX design. It’s challenging and versatile. A good UX designer needs to be able to wear a lot of hats. Design, programming, psychology, marketing, copywriting, information architecture, content strategy, user research—we need to know it all. It never gets boring! Second, I love the flexibility of my job. I get to choose my own clients and projects to work on. I craft my own schedule. I can work from home or from anywhere in the world for that matter! Last year I spent three months traveling around Europe while at the same time working successfully on a very important project for a Fortune 500 company. Now, I am a new mom and I get to be home with my baby and work remotely. It’s great! And finally, UX design is in high demand. Finding an exciting job has never been a problem. And it pays very well.
Starting Manning Labs felt very natural. My husband is a talented mobile developer. We have been working on numerous creative projects together for a while—several of which are profitable mobile applications. Together we make a perfect team—quality design and great code. Occasionally, when there is too much work, we hire help. When the products we launched got publicity, it just made sense to make it official and put a brand on the services we offer as a team.
Read Irina’s guest post on the Shillington Blog on how she became a UX designer in less than a year.
Believe in yourself—you are better than you think you are. Embrace criticism and don’t take it personally. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
UX Designer, Manning Labs
Irina Manning
What were you up to before Shillington and why did you decide to study design?
I studied foreign languages at a university and have a degree in linguistics and literature. I have always enjoyed languages. I speak English, Russian, French, German, Spanish and Italian. But I also have always found myself doing something creative as a hobby: photography, drawing, painting, creative writing, calligraphy—you name it. So, when I moved to New York City—with all the inspiration and opportunities it has to offer—I decided to try myself in the creative world. I wanted to follow my dream but I also wanted to be practical. In other words, I wanted my new dream profession to be fun for me but also in demand and well-paid. After a lot of research, I made a decision to become a UX designer. That’s how I ended up at Shillington. The Shillington graphic design course gave me everything I needed to start my creative journey.
You studied in the full-time course in New York. Can you tell us about your experience?
It was absolutely fantastic. First of all, I loved the way the course is structured. I was completely new to design and was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up. I shouldn’t have worried. The course assumes that everyone is a beginner. It starts with the very basics and gradually progresses to more and more advanced topics. Second, the course is mainly focused on practical tasks and gives very little (but just enough) theory. The learning process basically emulates the working atmosphere of professional designers—with all the challenges, pressure, deadlines, design critiques and team-work. It was so inspiring. Third, the teachers are awesome. Dedicated, talented, knowledgeable. They encouraged us, helped us, supported us every step of the way. I wouldn’t have done it without Peter and Cindy. Last but not least, the location. I was a design student in New. York. City. Need I say more?
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?
I couldn’t recommend Shillington more highly to anyone thinking of changing careers. The course is a great alternative to a college education. It is not too long, affordable, and of great quality. However, make no mistake—it is indeed an intensive course. Be ready to work very hard, to challenge yourself in every way, to live and breathe graphic design for the duration of the course.
What do you love about being a UX designer? What was it like launching your own company, Manning Labs?
I love UX design because it is both creative and technical. I get to be a part of both the creative and the development processes. There is so much to UX design. It’s challenging and versatile. A good UX designer needs to be able to wear a lot of hats. Design, programming, psychology, marketing, copywriting, information architecture, content strategy, user research—we need to know it all. It never gets boring! Second, I love the flexibility of my job. I get to choose my own clients and projects to work on. I craft my own schedule. I can work from home or from anywhere in the world for that matter! Last year I spent three months traveling around Europe while at the same time working successfully on a very important project for a Fortune 500 company. Now, I am a new mom and I get to be home with my baby and work remotely. It’s great! And finally, UX design is in high demand. Finding an exciting job has never been a problem. And it pays very well.
Starting Manning Labs felt very natural. My husband is a talented mobile developer. We have been working on numerous creative projects together for a while—several of which are profitable mobile applications. Together we make a perfect team—quality design and great code. Occasionally, when there is too much work, we hire help. When the products we launched got publicity, it just made sense to make it official and put a brand on the services we offer as a team.
Read Irina’s guest post on the Shillington Blog on how she became a UX designer in less than a year.
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, Tile Creative
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