Shillington School of Graphic Design London

I started Shillington knowing absolutely nothing about graphic design and now I'm the Creative Assistant at CLMA. The course is intensive but easy to digest and really gives you an idea of real timescales and expectations that you'll be faced in the workplace.You pretty much get what you put into it. If you work hard for it then you'll see the results.Oh and the teachers at Shillington are really good too!!! :)

Shillington was exactly what I was looking for, allowing me to retrain without going back to university. I already had basic software skills, but the course filled in the gaps while developing my eye and creative problem-solving abilities.The teachers were fantastic and I am still amazed by how they teach so much in such a short time. It must require huge organisation and planning. Each brief was designed to test us to our absolute limits, and the pace was judged to perfection.From day one – when we were given a box of pipe cleaners to facilitate a bonding exercise – I felt excited and happy to be at Shillington. The atmosphere encouraged creativity while also being structured and supportive.I would highly recommend the course to anyone looking to develop their creative skills or change career direction. It's hard work, but it is worth every penny and late night.

4 weeks before the course started we were informed that the Shillington Course will be moved online. The unfortunate news was not only disappointing but extremely unprofessional. My friend and I booked this course 5 months ago along with accommodation, and flights from Australia to London to attend this course.We emailed them straight away to figure out any other rearrangements if we could work on campus or even a further discount considering that the online course was still going to costs us a significant amount when being taught for 3 hours per day with no facilities. We were given no response for over 24 hours I had to re email them and call the office in London to get a thorough response considering we had a week to decide if we want to attend the course or not.I have no doubt that what Shillington has to offer is extremely enlightening in Graphic Design and I truly wish I was able to learn but unfortunately given this news and the lack of responses felt unprofessional and almost untrustworthy to continue.In saying all of that I don't think you shouldn't study with Shillingotn but that was my personal experience and anyone who is wanting to travel abroad to study with them should be careful and learn from this mistake.

If you want an intensive, fast-paced course that will set you up with everything you need to start a career in design then I would 100% go for Shillington. It’s really rigorous and challenging so whilst it may seem like a short period of time, you learn an enormous amount alongside really inspiring and supportive teachers.

I loved that the Shillington curriculum was about doing, rather than just theoretical stuff. I felt it was the experience and learning I needed to make a career shift and start working as a designer, in a short period of time. Studying on Sundays allowed me to come to class with a fresh mind in the morning and it helped me dive in deeper throughout the day.

Shillington is a must for anyone thinking of breaking into the design sector. I enrolled on the 9 month part time course and was able to keep working whilst doing so. Not only did I learn so much but I thoroughly enjoyed it.It’s emphasis on learning through doing, worked so well for me, you won’t be sitting through hours and and hours of powerpoints on this course.

I really enjoyed my time at Shillington and I'm very pleased I decided to take the course because it has enabled me to start a career in graphic design. I chose Shillington as it seemed to be the only college offering such a comprehensive course and it completely exceeded my expectations. The course is fast-paced and intensive, so you need to be willing to work hard, but it is also creative and challenging so if you are passionate about design and want to be immersed in it for 3 months then it’s a great place to learn. The briefs were very varied and always relevant to the real world of graphic design with realistic deadlines to work to.The standard of teaching is very high – the teachers definitely make the course fun and engaging. They are all very knowledgeable and I found that they went above and beyond to support me and the other students and ensure that we were getting the most out of the course.I came away from Shillington with a portfolio that I am really proud of, technical skills and confidence to go out into the industry and look for work. So all in all, it was a very positive experience for me.

Shillington is a life changing experience and one that you will not regret!Coming into Shillington I had no previous knowledge of design but 9 months later and I feel so confident within the design world that it blows my mind.I picked the part time mon/tue course in London. Getting in the studio like setup and being surrounded by like-minded people created such a great environment and one that you really thrive in.The teachers at Shillington are the most supportive, engaging and encouraging people that I’ve probably ever met. Every single teacher had an amazing generosity of spirit and really wanted you to achieve your best and made sure to make that happen! Throughout the course not one person is left behind and such a safe, positive environment is created.It is a challenging experience and a fast-paced structure but you can tell that every lesson is meticulously planned and with support from likeminded people and insane teachers you achieve things that you didn’t even think were possible.Stop reading reviews and apply, you seriously won't regret it!

I knew that I needed to pivot my professional life towards design and everything about the way Shillington presented itself made it the logical choice. I believe the college were the first to offer these short, intensive courses, challenging the convention that an education needs to last years, rather than be highly focussed and last months instead. It's hard, hard graft for 3 months, particularly towards the end as you're bringing all your knowledge together to produce your portfolio. It's also the most engaged I've ever been with my work and I am so pleased with what I came out the other side with. Nothing worth doing ever comes easy; Shillington isn't easy, but if your calling is for a life in design then it is absolutely worth doing. Thank you Shillington for equipping me with the skills to design my life!

I can remember the fear I felt in the weeks prior to starting the course. Would I really become a designer in 3 months? Would I actually get a job after graduating, and if so, WHEN? Have I just blown my life savings on a course that promises something that sounds too good to be true? Well, almost a year on from leaving I can say that Shillington worked for me better than I could have ever imagined. Before Shillington, I was working at a WHSmiths, wondering everyday what went wrong with my life. And now I’m working at as a designer at an agency called I Love Dust doing work for Nike and a bunch of other great clients, wondering everyday how I ever ended up here. Everything in my life changed so fast and I owe it to the teachers at Shillington for giving me the knowledge and the skills to make that happen.I think the best way I can describe Shillington is that it actually takes your education seriously. Very seriously. They respect the risk and the investment you have made in pursuing a career in graphic design, and really go all out to give you the best experience possible. They create a safe place for you to learn, where it's ok to not know what you're doing. There is no arrogance or negativity here, only positivity, Which is a rarity when it comes to creative courses.Of course, it's 3 months and it takes a lot of work to end up with a portfolio that will get you a good job. The teachers are fantastic and push you to do things you never thought possible. But you shouldn't come into the course expecting it to be just up to them to make you better. You have to put the work in too. And by that I mean, maybe spending an hour or 2 in the evening on something you worked on that day, or maybe spending a Sunday doing some extra work on a project you liked. It's all practice that will ultimately lead you to become better quicker. And the better you become, the better your final portfolio will be. That's what will get you a job, not your CV, but the skills you show off in those 6 chosen projects.Shillington is capable of changing your life for the better. But you have to be willing to put your life on hold and give it all you got. And if you do that, I promise you'll have a better one to go back to :)