Brent Wilson just wanted to be a graphic designer. The thought of studying for years to achieve his dream made it seem impossible; that is until he discovered Shillington College. After graduating, equipped with the relevant knowledge and skills to make it happen, Brent was able to turn his passion into a career… “Even before I was working in the design industry I was always looking for ways to make my work creative. Prior to Shillington I was working as a Trainer in Business and Finance. Training was a great opportunity to let loose a little creative flair, however I knew that I wanted to work as a designer. My wife and I had discussed me going back to college but it had always seemed like an impossibility considering how much time a conventional course would take away from work. When I heard about the graphic design course Shillington offered I was delighted and signed up pretty much straight away. The environment is fantastic. The college feels, looks and functions like a studio, which is an awesome place to start when you’re trying to manifest creativity. The lecturers are soaked through and through in industry experience and are generous in giving the students as much as they can through design theory and discussion. You are constantly challenged to think like a designer because you’re being treated like one.
At the end of the course I was qualified as a graphic designer and equipped with knowledge, skills and a great portfolio. I felt really confident entering the design industry thanks to working on briefs with realistic timeframes. These really helped to prepare me for designing in the real world. In fact I was so confident, I was applying for positions before the course had ended and I landed a job at Peppermint just weeks after graduating. Shillington was an amazing experience that equipped me with new skills, a deeper understanding of design principles and a refreshed creativity. I also met great classmates who were equally enthusiastic about the industry and we continue to keep in touch and challenge each other creatively. One of the great things about working as a designer at Peppermint is no two days are the same. I love having the chance to be creative, seeing ideas become something tangible. In order to get to the final product into our readers’ hands we hold regular meetings to discuss content and design ideas. There’s a lot of chatter (and lots of coffee) but it’s such a pleasure to work with a fun, down-to-earth creative team who are committed to producing such a wonderful magazine.” Life’s too short. Shouldn’t you be following your passion?
FOLLO OW W YO Y OUR PA P AS A SSION… 3 MONTHS FULL-TIME OR 1 YEAR PART-TIME ENROLLING NOW FOR 2012/13 NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY