The VUT Graphic Design section is excited to announce our new sponsoring partnership with one of the world’s leading graphic design academies, Yes I’m a Designer.

In the spirit of supporting the Graphic Design classes at our university, the team at Yes I’m a Designer and our lecturers came up with great prizes that our top students can win each year as incentives for their hard work and dedication to their studies. The top design student in each class will receive access to one of Yes I’m a Designer’s premium memberships for an entire year. This is an incredible opportunity to further improve their design skills by learning from one of the best Adobe certified instructors in the world.

Student prizes and lecturer sponsorship

The top performer in the first year Graphic Design class will gain access to entry-level online courses that teaches the foundations of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign software.

The top performer in the second year’s class will win access to all Yes I’m a Designer’s Master Classes, including highly sought-after courses in video editing and 3D design such as Premiere Pro or Cinema 4D. With this prize, you can specialize in any design area and become an expert in essential Adobe software.

Finally, the top performing third year student will win access to the highest tier courses for an entire year. This level includes all courses, Master Classes, and over sixty realistic projects to practice with. The winner will also have access to the Pro student community, with exclusive webinars and the opportunity to submit work for review. The prize will be a great resource to become an established freelance designer.

In addition to the student prizes, our design lecturers also gained access to all Yes I’m a Designer’s premium programs and project library. This will help us to further grow as designers ourselves, stay up to date with the rapidly changing design world, and, most importantly, to further improve our student’s tuition.

Who is Yes I’m a Designer?

Yes I’m a Designer is an internationally recognised Graphic Design Academy from the United Kingdom, with more than two-hundred-thousand students worldwide. High schools and universities, along with top agencies and in-house design teams around the world use the in-class courses to gain an edge in graphic and motion design. Adobe voted their founder and lead instructor, Martin Perhiniak as one of the top five Adobe Instructors in the world. Martin has more than twenty years’ experience working for household brands such as Lego and Disney as a freelance designer.

How did we find each other?

With an important takeaway point:  behind every missed opportunity, there may be a new one! I was already familiar with Yes I’m a Designer when I reached out to them. I had followed several of their courses for my own professional development.

I contacted them about a design contest for our students, that Martin was the ambassador of, but unfortunately only people living in Europe could participate. However, after we began talking, they came to highly appreciate our Graphic Design section’s values and dedication to helping each new generation of creatives on their journey. This is how the sponsorship came to fruition and we couldn’t be happier. I quote Martin and the Yes team: “We are very grateful for the opportunity to support the graphic design students at VUT and can’t wait to see the amazing work you will create!”

We are thrilled to have them as part of the growing number of international sponsors at Vaal University.

The important takeaway for you, dear students, is to keep your eyes open for opportunities and start conversations at every chance. Conversations can lead to friendships, and through those friendships, you can discover new and better opportunities. This is how you can grow your career in any field.

If you would like to learn more about our new sponsor, Yes I’m a Designer, please click on their banner below that will lead you to their website. In addition to their premium courses, they offer a great library of free design lessons on YouTube that you will find very beneficial.

Ms. Dorette van der Walt

Full-time Graphic Design lecturer in the Visual Arts & Design department at the Vaal University of Technology (Email: doreenv@vut.ac.za)