Designing a Better Education for Young Creative Talent

Preparing design students for the real world is challenging when further education colleges are facing funding pressures, says Katy McCabe, Education Program Manager at Affinity, part of Canva, as she explains where colleges should focus their efforts. 

The transition from college to university or work is a significant milestone for young creatives but without learning industry-level skills and getting work experience during their time in further education (FE), they may struggle to adapt. 

FE colleges have faced some of the deepest cuts across the education sector, which makes it challenging to run design courses, especially if colleges aren’t in a position to invest in the necessary materials or equipment. 

Last year, it was predicted that colleges would need £400m for 16-18 education, yet a recent announcement from the Department of Education revealed £300m funding for the academic year 2025-26, a significant shortfall. 

The impact of funding cuts 

Courses such as graphic design and illustration help young creatives develop specialist skills needed for a career in the industry. But creative courses can’t run without experienced teachers and resources such as design software, all things that cost money. 

The recommended salary levels for FE teachers fell by 18% from 2010-23 and sector-wide, tens of thousands of teachers are leaving the profession with low pay cited as a common reason. 

FE colleges need to invest in skilled educators who can lead and design an up-to-date curriculum that teaches students the skills needed in today’s job market. Hands-on practical experience also helps students to bridge the gap between education and industry demands, and land jobs or work experience opportunities. 

For example, the design sector is facing a significant green design skills gap, so teachers can adapt the curriculum to help emerging designers be more competitive within this space. They can also introduce more flexible teaching structures to encourage innovation.  

How to prepare students for the real world 

In college, students are taught creative self-expression but it can be the opposite in the workplace where they may be required to work ‘inside the box’ to meet a client’s brand voice/specification. This can be a tough adjustment and it requires a mindset change where colleges give students exposure to real-world working practices. 

Here are some other ways colleges can bridge the gap between education and employment: 

• Clients: Working with clients in the second year of a programme gives students the opportunity to work towards a real brief and get constructive feedback. This feedback can feel more authentic coming from a business because it’s a step away from the academic feedback students are used to. Critique also helps students to separate themselves from their work and build resilience, so they can develop a more commercial mindset. 
• Group work: Real world design happens collaboratively where ideas and projects are passed between writers, designers and developers. Learning should reflect that, so students can develop communication and problem-solving skills. Assessments should also reflect this with credit for good teamwork. It doesn’t always need to be grades and portfolios, there are different ways to evidence growth and potential. 
• Practical work: As well as learning design principles, students need to be able to learn and experiment with materials and software. For example, product design students can better understand the properties of materials like timber by producing prototypes with it or learn how to create 3D models with CAD software. Practical experience can also improve engagement and it’s something students will remember over reading a textbook. 

Knowing how to use professional-grade software is a requirement for most design jobs, so teaching students early-on can help to improve employability. But design software is often a big investment for colleges who may need multiple licences and pay a monthly/annual subscription fee. 

I’ve always believed industry-standard tools including creative software should be accessible to those who need it including young creatives starting their careers. 

That’s why it’s crucial we continue to invest in accessible, real-world tools and teaching approaches. So every young creative, regardless of background, has the opportunity to build the skills, confidence and resilience they need to thrive in today’s design industry.

By Katy McCabe, Education Program Manager at Affinity, part of Canva