Education system is a let down

I am a design graduate who must sympathise with Estelle Baylis’ view on job prospects for young designers (DW 11 June).

I graduated with a 2:1 and three months’ work placement experience under my belt. My aspirations were crushed when I was confronted with the harshness of the real design world. The world that, when applying for a junior position, expects you to have the commercial edge of a middle weight professional.

After spending months on end being rejected because my experience was not abundant enough, I used to think that I had failed as a designer. Then I came to the realisation that I had not failed, but that the design industry had failed me.

Quality designers rarely come out of the college door “instantly-experienced and pre-packaged”, ready for the commercial environment. They need to be moulded… There needs to be a smoother transition between the system of design education and the hard-edged commercial system upon which the industry thrives.

If young talented designers are to get the break that they deserve, more consideration should be paid to commercial training for graduates and undergraduates alike. This in turn would better prepare the young designer for a professional career in their chosen field, rather than a nine-to-five drudge in a fast food restaurant.

Anthony Browne

London E7