Change of Career - Graphic Design Courses?

R

Rae

New Member
This is my first time on here so hi to everyone :)

Ill try to keep this short and simple....I graduated in 2005 with a BA in Product Design and then my MSc in 2007 whilst working as a designer with a company. I was offered a Product Manager role just before I was about to look for another job and decided I should take it as at the time it seemed to good to miss. I cant say I regret the decision as the amount of projects I managed over the last 5 years was amazing (Rebrand and relaunchh of company brand, product, packaging, litrature.....). However, I cant say a day went by when I didnt wish that I was still doing the design work. In particular I loved the graphics side of things and always did my own stuff in uni for products I designed etc so its always been a passion.


I have quit my job....and am desperatley looking to do some short courses in graphics to brush up on my kills and start getting a portfolio together. I know I cant just walk in to this and I dont expect to I just want to start off on the right foot and do something I love!


If anyone can suggest some good courses, websites, free trials etc and point me in the right direction I would be so gratefull!!!! Any advice would be appreciated :)


Many thanks

Rae
 
Since you already have a decent amount of experience, you could look into the intensive Shillington College courses and see if they are what you need.

Graphic Design Courses & Classes

I don't think you can learn graphic design in 3 months like they claim, but since you're experienced already it could be the top-up/portfolio filler you need.
 
Rae said:
This is my first time on here so hi to everyone :)

Ill try to keep this short and simple....I graduated in 2005 with a BA in Product Design and then my MSc in 2007 whilst working as a designer with a company. I was offered a Product Manager role just before I was about to look for another job and decided I should take it as at the time it seemed to good to miss. I cant say I regret the decision as the amount of projects I managed over the last 5 years was amazing (Rebrand and relaunchh of company brand, product, packaging, litrature.....). However, I cant say a day went by when I didnt wish that I was still doing the design work. In particular I loved the graphics side of things and always did my own stuff in uni for products I designed etc so its always been a passion.


I have quit my job....and am desperatley looking to do some short courses in graphics to brush up on my kills and start getting a portfolio together. I know I cant just walk in to this and I dont expect to I just want to start off on the right foot and do something I love!


If anyone can suggest some good courses, websites, free trials etc and point me in the right direction I would be so gratefull!!!! Any advice would be appreciated :)


Many thanks

Rae
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A distance learning graphic design course may be a good option to you. You can study part time at Graphic design degree courses - UK university degree - graphic design - They seem to offer a range of courses.
 
I think you can learn it in that time, as these students do. One a 'proper' degree course, once you've taken away the bullcr9p waffle and padding, and condense the hours down into full time days, I'd say it amounts to pretty much the same. As much as I like to support designers, they can get a bit OTT and 'elitist' about their job/training. I know MANY people who learnt eff all on a degree, and would have been better off taking the 3month course at shillington, thus saving years.
 
Esh said:
I think you can learn it in that time, as these students do. One a 'proper' degree course, once you've taken away the bullcr9p waffle and padding, and condense the hours down into full time days, I'd say it amounts to pretty much the same. As much as I like to support designers, they can get a bit OTT and 'elitist' about their job/training. I know MANY people who learnt eff all on a degree, and would have been better off taking the 3month course at shillington, thus saving years.
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Not to pick on you personally but I see similar statements quite a lot and it annoys the hell out of me. You CANNOT learn design in 3months, you could probably get a lot of the software training and some basic design principles in that time but to sit down for 12 weeks on a "career change" and walk out after 3months saying "I'm a graphic designer now" just isn't realistic. OK different perhaps for someone like Rae who has a background in design but for people without prior experience or training it's ridiculous.

It's not just about making things look pretty you know.

And FWIW I agree there can be a lot of waffle on Degree courses but degrees last 3 / 4 years because it takes time to learn and develop. If I walked into Gordon Ramsay's kitchen tomorrow and undertook kitchen duties fro 3months would I then be a Chef? No. because it takes experience, knowledge, skill and commitment.
 
^ Depends on your aptitude for design at the outset, and it sounds like Rae is probably somewhere at the steep end of the curve in this respect.
 
PgCert/Dip Design for Visual Communication

Rae said:
This is my first time on here so hi to everyone :)

Ill try to keep this short and simple....I graduated in 2005 with a BA in Product Design and then my MSc in 2007 whilst working as a designer with a company. I was offered a Product Manager role just before I was about to look for another job and decided I should take it as at the time it seemed to good to miss. I cant say I regret the decision as the amount of projects I managed over the last 5 years was amazing (Rebrand and relaunchh of company brand, product, packaging, litrature.....). However, I cant say a day went by when I didnt wish that I was still doing the design work. In particular I loved the graphics side of things and always did my own stuff in uni for products I designed etc so its always been a passion.


I have quit my job....and am desperatley looking to do some short courses in graphics to brush up on my kills and start getting a portfolio together. I know I cant just walk in to this and I dont expect to I just want to start off on the right foot and do something I love!


If anyone can suggest some good courses, websites, free trials etc and point me in the right direction I would be so gratefull!!!! Any advice would be appreciated :)


Many thanks

Rae
Click to expand...

Hi Rae
I run courses for people with your profile. The course is called Design for Visual Communication and is for people who come from a different academic of professional background. You can find the course here: Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication - University of Arts London
At London College of Communication we also run short courses that people use to step up to my course. If you are still interested do get in contact. BTW I wrote a piece for people like yourself here: How to be Good at Graphic Design | Tony Pritchard's Blog
 
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