A Career as a Graphic Designer

A Career as a Graphic Designer can be very  rewarding. There are many jobs available in this field, and if you are lucky you will be able to find one that suits your every need.

A Career as a Graphic Designer

Graphic Design as a career is growing particularly with the rise of the web. As a graphic designer you will be involved in designing advertising, magazines, websites, marketing etc. In many ways you could be seen as an artist using computers to create your work. Therefore a strong creative side is essential.

As a graphic designer you can be at the cutting edge of business. You work is essential in all business and marketing and without graphic designers to create visually appealing articles, web domains, adverts the world would be a less colourful place.  The beauty of graphic designers is the ability to freelance. Whilst you will rarely be out of work your ability to add to your earnings through freelance work is immense. People are crying out for the computer graphic skills of the graphic designer.

Training to be a Graphic Designer
There are no set qualifications for becoming a graphic designer. You will usually be employed on the strength of your skills rather than your qualifications. However, most professional graphic designers have a BTEC HND, foundation degree or degree in graphic design or another art or design based subject.

To search for colleges and universities offering  HNDs, foundation degrees and degrees, visit the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com Check with the individual colleges and universities for their entry requirements.

As talent and contacts are the key to getting work, you may be able to develop a career in graphic design without a qualification. However, you will need to keep your skills up to date throughout your career as a graphic designer. You may be able to attend short courses, for example in computer packages such as Quark Xpress, FreeHand, Illustrator, Photoshop, 3D Studio, Acrobat, Director, Dreamweaver and Flash, but you will also learn new skills on the job to meet the needs of particular projects.

The Chartered Society of Designers and British Design and Art Direction (D&AD) run courses and workshops for members which you may find useful for professional development. For example, D&AD runs Workout, a range of one-day development courses. Joining professional bodies will also give you the opportunity to make contacts in the industry.

For further information contact: The Chartered Society of Designers www.csd.org.uk
And the British Design and Direction: www.dandad.org

If you are seeking employment Join Xcel now for free, Job information please fill in the Career Information form

The College Information service is your free, Study information service, helping you find out about study opportunities at colleges and universities