“You may need to step down in order to segue”

You don’t need a degree to be a designer. The current landscape is really exciting for learning. There are new tools and endless resources that make creativity accessible. You need to get started on two key skills.

The fundamentals of your craft. You need to understand the basics. Ideas, type, colour, layout – the foundations of design.

Shillington is a great part-time course. They’ll help you learn these principles through real briefs. You’ll be in a cohort of peers, have a chance to work together, meet industry experts – it’s a crash course that gives you a recognisable qualification. Many Shillington grads have gone on to have illustrious careers.

If you want to stay clear of courses, The Futur on YouTube has some series about the principles of design. Add some books to your cart — Graphic Design: The New Basics and Graphic Design School, both walk through all the core elements of creativity. The History of Graphic Design will give you some wider context of how the industry has evolved and the titans that shaped it.

I’m sure you’re aware you may need to step down in order to segue, but with your experience, the trajectory from junior to art director should be much faster. The key difference between you and a fresh graduate is your network. Use your connections to your advantage. Pick everyone’s brain. Tell people you’re changing lanes.

When they realise you have the combination of creative and commercial knowledge, you’ll get snapped up.