[james]

I ended up as an office junior at a local architects, after my A-Levels (they were just starting to introduce the tuition fees and student loans, which strongly discouraged me from University). After a few months of photocopying and the like, I started helping the interior design team with their graphics as well.

The bosses of the company spotted I had a talent, and paid for me to do a two-year day release course at Oxford College for a HNC in Graphic Design. This was great as one day a week I was studying and improving along with my peers, while at the same time I was employed and so learning all about the working world, how to deal with people, etc. Also because it was in the company interests, any materials I needed, the company paid for (even a portfolio at the end!).

On the other hand, once I’d done my HNC, I was keen to develop more and decided to leave work for a year and study for a HND (only took a year as it was to top up the previous course). So I left home for the first time to live in Nottingham – stayed in a student house with eight strangers - had a fantastic time, and the course - whilst challenging at times, made me a far better designer, without a shadow of a doubt.

I’m now back at the architects, and am in charge of all of the business’ graphic design (stationary, branding, brochures) and also am trying to teach myself new skills (such as web design).

That's an awful lot of waffle there, but i'm just trying to show how there are other ways to get where you want to be, without necessarily the time (and £££ these days) of a degree course.