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cR@Zy!NgLi$h · 16/11/2009 01:38 AM

Okay, so;  A bit of background...

I left school in 1998 with an "A" in Art, a "B" in Graphics, and pretty much failed everything else.

Somewhere between then and now, I got married, bought a house, and became a Dad.

During this, I lost focus, and now I'm a mortgage broker, but I'm miserable.  I love my wife and son (and my wife is now 6 weeks pregnant too!  w00t!), but I HATE my job.

I REALLY want to get back into Design / Graphics / Etc, but I have no idea where to start...  

I'm looking to enroll in night-classes in Graphic Design / Media / Web Design etc. and from what I can tell, Adobe PS CS4 and Dreamweaver is the industry standard, but these things all cost money; money I could be saving for the baby, money I don't want to waste., hence I don't want to invest in unnecessary courses! 

Can someone (anyone!) please tell me what I should be studying to get back into the field?  I'm 27 now, I haven't studied since 2000, and I can't believe what's happened to the industry since then.  I'm artistic, and fairly computer-literate, but I have no idea what programs I'll need to familiarise myself with in order to get out of the DAMN banking industry!!!

Thanks, EP!!!

Grey Ghost · 16/11/2009 02:03 AM

sorry i can't be of any real help. i wouldnt know where to go study. i can however with you the best of luck in following your new desired path. you'll should find somwhere to study easy Madwin

lembas · 16/11/2009 02:28 AM

I'd recommend finding a local community college that offers such classes. The College I go to has both Photoshop and Dreamweaver classes, and at $26 a unit, it's very affordable.

ZiNgA BuRgA · 16/11/2009 03:41 AM

If you can convince potential employers that self learning is more effective than a course, then that works (I tend to like something like "a university course gives you a degree, but self-learning shows dedication").

You could also try looking at freelance web design, though I don't know much about it or if it's really suitable for you.

trademark91 · 16/11/2009 07:07 AM

id say the main program that you need to work with for graphic design would be photoshop.
most community colleges offer classes on photoshop, and most colleges/universities offer graphic design degrees.
for the most part the field is flooded, and its hard to get a steady, good paying job.
(i looked into it myself)

id say the best bet is to do a college like devry or itt tech and take night classes. that way youll get a degree and since you have other responsibilities, it won't interfere with your daily life.

good luck! Madwin

cR@Zy!NgLi$h · 21/11/2009 04:11 AM

Thanks for all the input guys, Photoshop is definitely where it's at so far as I can tell, but I'm only too aware that I'll be competing against some serious talent with diplomas and degrees etc.

I guess my problem is I now have a mortgage to fund but hopefully there'll be some courses offered locally in the evenings so I don't have to quit the job lol!  Thanks again :)

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