What’s It Like to Study Design at Shillington? Our 2021 Scholarship Students Share Their Experience

We’ve just launched our exciting 2022 Diversity in Design scholarship opportunities—open to aspiring designers from underrepresented groups.

Not sure if design is the right career for you? Neither were some of our 2021 Scholarship winners until they heard about Shillington—read on to find out more. 

Lucy Deverall, 2021 Half Scholarship Student 

Job prior to Shillington?

Photographer / Curator

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

Before starting at Shillington, I had completed a Bachelor of Design (Photography) at UTS and was working as a curator for a film lab in Sydney. During this time, I also completed an artist residency/school in Seydisfjordur, East Iceland. In all of these experiences, I got to learn so much about different expressions of creativity and connected with such amazing communities along the way. When the pandemic hit and these spaces were harder to access, I was looking for a new avenue to exercise my creativity and hopefully forge the foundation for a new career.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington

Being creative comes second nature to me, so after exploring a few mediums, graphic design felt like a natural progression. I wanted to have both structure and creativity moving forward in a career, and felt a buzz of excitement from the possibilities of focusing on design. I had heard of Shillington through a couple of friends who had completed the course. They had only good things to say! After doing some further research, it felt like a perfect match. It was incredible looking through all of the graduate portfolios and realising these skills were taught in a matter of months, not years.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

There is really no better course to do if you are wanting to get industry-ready. The teachers are awesome, the students are incredible, and the work is both practical and fun. I loved my first degree in Photography, but I can say with certainty that the practical skills I have learned in 6 months at Shillington are unrivaled. I have particularly enjoyed the diversity of the briefs we have been given, and the encouragement to try things out of your comfort zone.

Do you think the skills you’re learning during the course are preparing you for the design industry?
Absolutely! There is so much precision with this course in terms of when and how you learn things.

It really seems to fast-track what could take years to learn. I am excited by the end to have a portfolio that will show my new skillset in the best light possible. On top of that, the classroom setting acts as a microcosm of a design agency.

There are constantly new things to learn, feedback to implement and a playlist to add good bop to.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

One of the hardest things to face as a creative person is feeling not good enough. My advice would be to learn to enjoy the process of making mistakes. The learning curve is steep when you are picking up new processes, systems and tools. If you relax into being a bit shit to begin with, things seem to fall into place a lot easier.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Take this time to learn a little about yourself and don’t hold back on sharing just how amazing you are! Pick something that you are comfortable with, but try pushing it further and see what happens. Putting yourself out there can be daunting, but you should be proud of yourself for overcoming the first hurdle – starting.

Ethan Quagliotto, 2021 Half Scholarship Student

Job prior to Shillington?

Bar Manager

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

Before Shillington I was working in hospitality as a bar manager, with my previous education in illustration I had pulled my skillset in most of the venues that I operated within. Though most of my time was left managing live music venues, cocktail bars and fine dining. Constantly unhappy with my work, I knew it was time to take a risk and make a career change.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

Having previously studied and worked as an illustrator I felt I still lacked the skills to produce a folio that was applicable to a creative career.

From this I could see Shillington stood out from the rest to offer real-world skills, and a path that would gain me the confidence and skills to be job-ready as a designer.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

Coming from someone who put off studying at Shillington for a good 3 years, I couldn’t encourage you more than to just take the leap and invest in yourself.

Do you think the skills you’re learning during the course are preparing you for the design industry?

The course curriculum is laid out in such a meticulous way that you get to experience a brief from every aspect of the design industry, which not only provides the skills to have you ready but also the confidence in the area of design you wish to venture.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

Push yourself from day one, the briefs you do at the beginning may be perfect to represent yourself at folio time, trust me you’ll be thanking yourself later on down the track.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

As previously noted, lay yourself out bare, tell your story and portray the reason why you believe that you could become a designer that stands out.

Kristina Belotskaya, 2021 Half Scholarship Student

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

I was and still am working full-time as an accountant to support myself financially and to figure out my next steps. I did not study design but I have always been interested in it so I taught myself some software and actually had a few creative side jobs that I really enjoyed: I volunteered as a creative director at a non-profit organization called EV LOVES NYC that fights food insecurity in New York. I also co-founded Sprkle Studios, a creative agency that provides branding services to small businesses.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

I’ve always been interested in design. Prior to Shillington, I was self-studying design programs and software, and taking online workshops, trying to learn as much as I could about design and illustration during my free time.

But I really was looking for a program that could allow me to build a strong portfolio and acquire technical skills without having to do another 4 years of college. What really attracted me to this program was its flexibility: you can choose between full-time and part-time courses and pick the program that works best for you.

Although the course is relatively short, you get to learn A LOT (from typography and design theory to UX and app design!) After reading many positive student reviews, I thought I’d give it a try 🙂

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

Two words: DO IT!

Do you think the skills you learned during the course prepared you for the design industry?

Definitely! The teachers are graphic designers who work in the industry. They know the current needs and programs, the vocabulary, etc. so they help you stay on top of the current trends and prepare you for the expectations of the design industry. For example, just recently the teachers added for students to learn Figma, the now go-to tool for designing websites and apps.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

Cherish the time and enjoy this class, because it will go fast and you will miss it! Also, don’t stress too much if you’re not satisfied 100% with your design work. You will get many different projects to work on, plus your skills will improve so much throughout the course, you can always go back to your previous work to improve it.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Don’t be intimidated and just have fun! Pick making something that you like, something that will make you happy during the creation process. If you love what you’re creating, it will show. Good luck!

Lara Redmer, 2021 Half Scholarship Student 

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?
I’m studying part-time and currently work as a strategist at AnalogFolk, a digital agency, on projects ranging from digital experiences to campaigns. (We actually have a brilliant designer on our team, Billy Dupée, who is also a Shillington part-time graduate—highly recommend checking out his work here.)

Prior to that, I’ve done lots of other things, from working in finance and fashion e-commerce to running a co-working space for a tech company in Silicon Valley.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?
I’ve always been fascinated by radical work that tells stories and communicates ideas visually, with a particular love for magazines (some of my inspirations are Chloe Scheffe, Studio Koto and Max Siedentopf). After all, visuals are more powerful, more memorable than words on their own.

Growing up on the German countryside, I wasn’t really exposed to the sphere of design and what it means until I was in my mid-twenties, and even after that, hadn’t really thought of design as something I was able to do. But working more closely with designers, I felt inspired to develop my visual communication skills. I wanted to be able to create digital designs for the projects I am already working on as a strategist – whether that’s high-fidelity wireframes or more fleshed-out web designs and prototypes.

In the two years prior to Shillington,

I’d tried out a few online design courses but found most of them were either too theoretical or too focused on web design, lacking a solid training in the basics of visual design. What struck me about the Shillington curriculum was the blend of traditional graphic design, digital design and a strong focus on applying these skills by working on briefs.

How is the course helping you develop your skills as a designer?
Something that I’ve only realized during the course is that it’s just as much about the overall creative process as it is about understanding the foundations of design and getting proficient in the programs we use. In class, we often place as much emphasis on showing the process from initial research to ideation and mood boarding as we do on showing the final work.

The final design is basically a culmination of all the steps and decisions taken along the way, which can be equally comforting and challenging. Doing research, defining useful keywords, developing a concept and collecting rad references—sticking to that process is a helpful anchor to hold onto, especially on those days where you might feel a little stuck, rushed or uninspired.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?
Be clear and intentional about what you are looking for in a design course and what works for you. If you get a chance, reach out to some of the alumni to find out what worked for them and then draw your own conclusions. For me, ultimately, it was a decision to dedicate time and effort to design in a way that I would have never been able to on my own or with self-paced courses that don’t have fixed deadlines and experienced teachers that look at the work.

What are your favourite aspects of the course?

Working on super exciting briefs, from promoting a music festival to designing an indie travel magazine – I think we’re pretty spoiled! And having the flexibility to bring in additional elements such as photography, illustration or copywriting. You really get a chance to creatively shape each project.

Now that you are approaching the end of the course, can you offer some tips to students on how they can succeed in the course?

Have fun, make the project yours, try out lots of things and see where the course takes you. Judgement is the enemy of creativity so be kind to yourself and don’t worry about not being good, we’re all just getting started! If you have a few additional minutes to spare in a day, spend them collecting visual references of stuff you like on places like SAVEE. It will come in helpful when you’re building mood boards for your concepts and it is simply satisfying to do – I find it even more addictive than TikTok.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Ask yourself what is it that excites you about studying design, and at Shillington? Let this energy and excitement shine through and guide your submission, and spend as much time crafting this story as you do crafting the work.

And don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of design work to show yet. It’s more about showing your passion and what you would be able to create if you were a student. The rest will (hopefully) follow!

Cindy Cheng, 2021 Half Scholarship Student 

What were you up to before Shillington and what kind of work were you doing?

The most direct way of describing what I’ve been up to lately is to say that I help people make new connections in the kitchen. If at any given moment you called into our unique little cookery school in Ireland, you might take me as the teacher, student, chef, host, baker, administrator, website-whisperer, bookkeeper, writer, mediator, entertainer, troublemaker, owner (don’t tell the boss) or cleaner.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

My decision to study design was at the time instinctive. Ironically, it’s an instinct that has taken many seasons to emerge and then when it did, it became a voice I couldn’t ignore. A large part of how I found my way here has to do with the circuitous path I first took through music and food. Having worked mostly in small businesses, I’ve felt the necessity, utility, and impact of a thoughtful, design-oriented mindset and approach. I want to understand all the parts and see what I can do with it.

What made you decide on Shillington?

My original ‘3 Big Reasons for Choosing Shillington’:

Firstly, I really respect and jibe with Shillington’s ethos of open learning and inclusivity. ‘We’ll meet you wherever you are’ never sounded so good. Secondly, I’m inspired by Shillington’s outside the box approach to education, particularly the way they’ve converged such contrasting elements into a singular experience

Finally, l love Shillington’s unbridled enthusiasm. And a remarkable by-product of it all has been the extremely encouraging experience of personal clarity, support, and community.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

I’ve come to Shillington as a complete beginner in the field without any experience whatsoever in terms of using the digital programs we’re now deeply engaged in with our briefs.

It’s a thrill to go for something that you feel might just be beyond what you can do. While I would absolutely love to be doing the course in person, one of the elemental things that made studying design a reality in my life right now is Shillington’s part-time online option, available in different time zones. The global accessibility to their curriculum, all delivered live in real-time, is genius and I’m not sure there’s anything else out there quite like this.

Shillington will undoubtedly help you translate and grow what you know of other worlds into something with far greater reach and usefulness. It will fundamentally change the way you learn and share what you know, both personally and professionally. And it will help you understand and improve what you can physically do to add value to the larger community.

Do you think the skills you learned during the course prepared you for the design industry?

We still have more term to go and if my past is any indication, I reckon that the path I take from here will be less traditional, so time will tell! I’m amazed at how far we’ve come and I’m so curious about where the rest of the course will take us. And while I don’t really want this chapter to end, I have no doubt that someday I’ll look back and marvel at how the journey started.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

See everything through, every exercise, every brief, every suggestion. Go all in. Otherwise, what’s the point? You’re investing so much of yourself: your time, money, energy. And even if something takes you longer than the allotted time you’re given, always finish what you start. Then take a moment to step back and look up. There is a tremendous amount to learn from both the highs and the lows (and you will experience both). So much of what we take away from an experience is shaped by what we put into it.

We’re opening up our half-scholarships again this year, what advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Take your time to really reflect on the questions before fleshing out your answers or diving into the brief and do this first and foremost for yourself. Crystallizing your ‘reasons why’ will help fuel your creative submission and it will also help to communicate your one-of-a-kind point of view. Most importantly, treat the creative submission as an opportunity to go on an adventure and learn something new.

DEADLINE: 28 June, 5pm. Find out more and apply today!