Jake Ivill (website & twitter) is a young illustrator and aspiring web designer from Manchester. You may know him. Jake’s currently in a predicament, trying to decide which course of action to take to best further his career. To most of us who’ve discussed this with Jake, the answer’s straightforward; he’s been accepted to join the new Manchester Hyper Island academy, which is an opportunity you simply don’t turn down.
The problem is that Jake’s mum isn’t confident about the Hyper Island course, which is understandable considering it’s unheard of over here, and is only in it’s first year. She feels Jake would be better off wasting his time and clawing himself into mounds of debt going to ‘normal’ university.
Frankly I find this a little absurd, for several reasons.
For starters, although I don’t know Jakes mum and I’m sure she only wants the best for him, she should let him make his own choices and not try to dictate how he lives his life. On the flip side, Jake should grow some balls and do what he wants to do instead of letting his mum control his decisions. Excuse my candor but I believe that if his mum really wanted what was best for him then she’d support his wish to go to Hyper Island.
Secondly, for the direction Jake wants to take, that is getting into interactive and web design, university is such a fucking bad idea. I’ve never disguised my distain for some of the digital media courses on offer in Manchester—by and large they’re a sack of shit. Bureaucracy, obsolete curricula and outdated tutors, a lack of vision and too little interaction with the local industry, boring predictable briefs and a lot of students who don’t really give a shit about the courses are largely to blame.
Hyper Island changes all that. Originating in Sweden (and the Swedish always get it right), Hyper Island is an academy that gives the finger to the stiff syllabuses and teaching styles of typical academia, instead developing a creative learning environment that encourages collaboration, making mistakes and working on real briefs for real clients. They really adhere to the idea that learning should be fun, and there’s no doubt that it pays off—the caliber of talent that leaves the doors of Hyper Island is astounding and inspiring.
Although the Hyper Island course doesn’t offer a degree at the end, the experience is surely far more beneficial. The arguments for and against a degree-level education in the digital industry are varied and numerous; this article from a couple of years ago still holds some relevance, but I’ve found more and more that spending 3 years studying digital media, or interactive design or whatever title you want to give it is a huge waste of time and money. And I’m not the only person who thinks this.
At the time of writing this I’m 21. I have no formal qualifications that relate to what I do now. In fact on paper I’m a bit of a dunce. Like a lot of people in this industry I’m self-taught from books, websites and interning. I worked hard, asked a lot of questions, tried to meet the right people, was passionate about what I wanted to do and without a doubt I’ve been very lucky. I took opportunities when they arose, and thankfully they’ve paid off. Now I’m the lead designer at a great digital marketing agency in the Northern Quarter, doing a job I love, working with great people and earning a healthy salary.
I’m not saying this to inflate my ego, I’m trying to make a point.
Most people my age are just leaving university with the baggage of debt, inexperience of the real world, competing against everyone else on the course for a job with little of any real value to show for themselves but a piece of paper. In fact, unless you’re really fucking talented it’s hard enough getting an unpaid internship at the moment.
For some people university is without a doubt the right path to take. But for others, like Jake, I think he’d be making a huge mistake. At 18 he’s already making his mark on the scene, meeting the right people and getting his name around. He’s worked with some of the top agencies in Manchester including Magnetic North (and ourselves), had his work featured on the cover of a magazine and has been accepted to join one of the most unique, forward-thinking digital education academies in the world.
He’s smashing it. He’s already proved he can do it himself. University would only hold him back.
Whether you agree or disagree, your views would be appreciated in the comments.
– N
We spoke to jake about this when he was with John here at mN. This was over 18 months ago. We all agreed that really what counts in digital and graphic design industry is ideas. Someone who “thinks” the right way, demonstrates that thinking in a portfolio and can show development of their thinking will get on, degree or no degree.
BUT
I myself did a degree in sound engineering. Nothing to do with Design or digital (though I did digital projects along with business projects as part of my degree) but the people I met at uni, the events I ran (site manager for welcome week volunteers, stage manager at various music events etc) and jobs all had a massive influence in who I am now. I gained huge experience in handling pressure situations and projects while working with others. I was involved in students union and met people I still know now who all work at high levels in creative industries. I would never tell someone not to go to uni, and in fact I said the same to Jake myself (though he probably doesn’t remember) but with the recent increase in fees it’s become a harder decision, only the other day I said I may not have chosen uni if I was doing it again now. My degree hasn’t got me a job directly, it has though changed how I think my way around problems and handle project situations etc and I learnt all the coding skills I needed while studying meaning I was able to work in digital post degree.
In Jake’s case, Hyper Island, if you only ever want to work in digital or design is the best choice over any but the best degrees. Unless you are doing the standard “non-media” degrees then their relevance or weight within the industry is subjective and won’t necessarily give you a back up plan, some top agencies recruit graduates straight from uni with the knowledge they know the theory and have had time to think about developing ideas. Hyper Island would provide exactly that kind of knowledge and development.
Get to uni Jake. Although there are exceptions, most people who slam uni and haven’t studied inadvertently show off a massive ignorance on their part. And if you end up a with a degree, you’ll look back on this and know exactly what I’m talking about.
“Slam uni… haven’t studied… massive ignorance.”
You’re going to have to present a better argument than that Tom. Perhaps share your own experiences and explain why an overpriced, outdated digital design university course is the right path to take?
You’ll also likely find that those self-taught do just as much studying as students, if not more, considering they’re having to compensate for not having their education handed to them on an expensive plate.
– N
I have a degree but have found that it is experience that holds the key in getting a job and going further in this industry. I’d go to the Island and learn all you can and come out with a great portfolio of work. Employers look further than a degree and with the costs now soaring id take this opportunity. You can always go to University at a later date if you want to.