Let the best courses thrive

Many of us can sympathise with Geoff Gradwell’s rant against ‘whingeing students’ (DW 11 May) and the annual moan that it is hard to find work. As an employed product designer, I realise I have made it against incredible odds.

Wouldn’t criticism be more productively directed against the reason why so many graduates can’t find work in design? The demand isn’t there. I used to believe it didn’t matter. After all, universities said they would equip students with transferable skills. My inbox shows little evidence of this.

Isn’t it time design education faced commercial realities? Courses with strong design employment and creative records should prosper. Let’s weed out the rest.

Alistair Williamson, Director, Lucid Innovation Group, Manchester M21 9XW