What our students have to say

Leanne So Hee Kim, Korea

Studying Communication Design at Bachelor level
Won the 2007 DIA Graduate of the Year award

How did I find out about Billy Blue College of Design?
One of my sister's friends graduated from Billy Blue, and she strongly recommended it.

Why am I studying here?
To build my skills as a successful designer… (Oh you mean studying in Australia? One of the main reasons was that I was able to get permanent residency. Also, I thought it would be a great opportunity to experience western culture.)

What do I like about it?
It's good to know the western style of design, take the good part of it and combine it with the Asian style... it's a good experience. Especially, in Australia as a multi-cultural country, I could have a lot of opportunities to observe several of the country's design styles. It's great to have design experience in Australia.

What are my career/study aspirations?
I want to be a designer who can communicate with the audience well through my works.
And I hope I can contribute to building the unique identity of Australia and Korea.

What's unique about Billy Blue?
Most of all, I like the friendly and warm atmosphere. Lecturers and students are close and communicate well. Also, I like the practical school curriculum. I think Billy Blue teaches the students using the most effective way to learn design.

Yrsa Rós Brynjudóttir, Iceland

Studying Communication Design at Bachelor level

How I found out about Billy Blue College of Design:
I googled “graphic design” and “schools”. Billy Blue was one of the top hits and the name Billy Blue stuck with me...

Why I'm here:
Billy Blue is a graphic design school, which is my main area of interest when it comes to design.
Plus, it is in Australia so I thought it would be a great way of combining getting an education and an adventure.

What I like about Billy Blue College of Design:
In the beginning what I liked the most about Billy Blue College of Design was the size of the college (number of students) and the size of my class. It made it easier to make friends with students in other classes/years and to become close to my classmates. The lecturers were all knowledgeable and knew how to 'export' this knowledge to the students. My favourite lecturers so far are: Rob Tossen, Peter McGill, Kimberley Croft, Kuen Kam, Simon Harris and Ian Brown. There are many different reasons for why I like and respect them; extremely talented and accessible to name a few.

My career or study aspirations:
Like every student graduating from Billy Blue College of Design I aspire to reach the top! I want to be respected and admired by my peers, get paid enough to live comfortably (I don't want a private jet and a big house) and to pay my parents back the money they paid for my education.

What I think is unique about Billy Blue College of Design:
Billy Blue's cultural environment, broad mix of talent and interest. The school’s lecturers are talented and good teachers.

Jodie Richards, Australia

Studying Multimedia Design at Bachelor level

How did you find out about Billy Blue College of Design?
Internet search for Multi-Media schools. Billy Blue’s course looked the most comprehensive.

Why are you here?
Main reason for choosing the course was to expand my employment opportunities. I have been working as a Graphic Designer for 10 years and wanted to move into web design and TV film intros.

What do you like about it?
Teachers are all currently working in their fields – teaching is part-time and the work is full-time. This means the teachers are up to the minute in their knowledge of the industry.

What are your career or study aspirations?
Just want to be proud of the work I do – nothing more.

What do you think is unique about Billy Blue College of Design?
The teachers and the cowboy curriculum (pioneering unexplored territory) mean that it is always “seat of the pants” stuff. It gives you plenty of room to sink or swim (I’ve managed both).

Joao Perez, Brazil

Studying Multimedia Design at Bachelor level
Won Best Student Award in Second Year!!

How did you find out about Billy Blue College of Design and why are you studying here?
I found out about Billy Blue College of Design through a travel agent back in Brazil. I wanted to go overseas and he recommended Billy Blue as the best graphic design school in OZ.

What do you like about it?
The environment is extremely friendly, multicultural, and the fact that all the lecturers are actually working in the industry, which means that they have a huge amount of knowledge to pass on.

What are your career or study aspirations?
Get an amazing job, become the best designer ever seen and be able to have cocktails with little umbrellas by the beach on the weekends. Is that a lot?

What do you think is unique about Billy Blue College of Design?
The extremely creative environment, the cultural mix and the close contact with the lecturers

Jefton Sungkar, Australia

Studying Communication Design, Advanced Diploma

How did you find out about Billy Blue College of Design?
I found out about Billy Blue College of Design when I was in year 11. Billy Blue was having the scholarship competition for year 12's and I thought I'd try out when I’m in year 12, and so I did. Though I didn't come first I was in the top 5 and that motivated me to study graphic design at Billy Blue.

What do they like about it?
I like heaps of things about Blue Blue College of Design; the graffiti wall, cool atmosphere, swearing lecturers ha ha, but seriously, the quality of teaching and the fact that you always get inspiration by just being around the people.

What are your career or study aspirations?
Definitely start a career in the design industry, work with a team of designers and creative thinkers, and eventually work my way to the top.
 
What do you think is unique about Billy Blue College of Design?
 The fact the name of the school is Billy Blue, but the bags, posters, signs etc. are all yellow or orange.

Jackie-Lee Brayley, Australia

Studying Multimedia Design at Bachelor Level

How did I find out about Billy Blue College of Design?
There was a Billy Blue stand at a Careers Expo I attended at UWS. I signed up and they sent me info about it.
 
Why am I studying here?
I knew I wanted to work in Multimedia, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted to specialise in. Billy Blue College of Design teaches a variety of subjects so you can experience a bit of everything before you decide what you like/what you're best at. Also, it doesn't have crazy UAI requirements like at Uni.
 
What do I like about it?
It's not a huge campus like at universities, so it's not daunting and everything is close by.
 
What are my career/study aspirations?
I want to be the one that surpasses the boundaries of the web medium, and turn it into something that people never thought it could be.
 
What's unique about Billy Blue College of Design?
It's all hands-on, as opposed to sitting in a lecture hall listening to a teacher bore you to sleep for hours and days on end. That's different and very, very cool.

Magdalena Czarnecki, Sweden

Studying Communication Design, Advanced Diploma

How did I find out about Billy Blue College of Design?
On the internet. After graduating from high school I wanted to continue studying graphic design and searched the internet for design schools. I also remembered a classmate back in Sweden talking about Billy Blue.

Why am I studying here?
In Sweden it’s such a competition getting in to schools, and while there everybody ends up doing the same thing. I wanted to get away from that, and get a broader perspective.

What do I like about it?
The experimental and arty feeling to the school. You get to develop your own style and since a lot of the students at Billy Blue College of Design are international you get inspiration from lots of cultures. If you keep your eyes open and take your time, there is also a lot of work opportunities and experience available.

What are my career/study aspirations?
I want to go back to Sweden and try to get a job in a design agency or work for a fashion/music oriented magazine.

What´s unique about Billy Blue College of Design?
Since the school is pretty small, you get a familiar atmosphere. If you want you can get a lot of time and help with the lectures, and you easily make friends on the school.

Hanie Boon

Advanced Diploma, Communication Design, Indonesian student

How did I find out about Billy Blue College of Design?
I found out about Billy Blue College of Design through some friends and a recommendation from my brother.

Why am I studying here?
The reason is because I want to study graphic design and I found out Billy Blue College of design is a good choice.

What do I like about it?
I like the school environment, some lecturers and friends. This school is like a second home, it makes me feel comfortable.

What are my career/study aspirations?
My aspiration is to be a creative graphic designer and own a design studio one day, hopefully.

What's unique about Billy Blue College of Design?
The School environment, the design of each classroom's door which is colourful and unique. Lastly, Pizza Day is unique to me.

Elena Fombertaux

Studying BA of Communication Design

What were you doing before you started your studies at Billy Blue?
I did the HSC at Killara High School. But I’d always wanted to attend Billy Blue.

What made you choose Billy Blue?
I did work experience at Landor, and some people there had been to Billy Blue and had good things to say.

What is your favourite subject and why?
It’s a tie between introduction to design practice and ideas generation. Lecturers talk about what’s going on in the design world and focus on the development of ideas.

Who are your favourite lecturers and why?
Tim Jetis – he makes me laugh! He’s upbeat, supportive, and a wealth of useful information. You feel like you know him as a person, not just as a lecturer. And Matt Leach is warm, approachable and well-informed.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
I’m going to leave this optimistically blank – because I’m not really sure where this experience might take me.

What are the essential ‘tools of the trade’ for a design student?
Paper. Pencil. Brain. And coffee. Oh, and a good team to bounce ideas off!

What is it like being a BBCD student?
It’s all very interesting stuff. You develop ways to think, and learn how to conceptualize. Being a BBCD student is a liberating breath of fresh air – I’m looking forward to the challenges ahead.

And finally, what advice do you have for students looking to study design?
Find out about the profession. Do some work experience so that you’re informed. Ask yourself: do I have an appreciation of concept and form? Am I a creative person? Then get involved in the course at every level. The level of commitment is high – but it’s nothing you’re not capable of!

Zena Santos

Studying Associate Degree in Multimedia Design

What were you doing before you started your studies at Billy Blue?
Obsessing over my Art and Design Technology Major! Doing my art projects made me realize that design would be the ideal career for me.

Why did you choose Billy Blue?
A good friend of mine did the "Be a Designer for a Day", and she encouraged me to come to Billy Blue.

What is your favourite subject and why?
I love everything! But especially web design and 3D design. Using Photoshop and Illustrator really stretch me into the unknown of poly modeling, CSS, html, etc.

Who are your favourite lecturers and why?
Matt Leach, Rob T, Dave Agius and Jono G. They’re very nice, approachable people. And they really know their stuff. Matt Leach is very insightful, and Dave Agius teaches in such an animated manner, the time just flies!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I hope to have an agent for my illustrative work, getting me regular jobs. On the side, I’d like to start my own multidisciplinary studio, doing illustration, web design, animation, 3d design and motion design.

What are the essential ‘tools of the trade’ for a design student?
A Wacom Tablet, laptop, Adobe CS4 Master Collection, Moleskine sketchbooks, pens and pencils. And a camera – take photos of anything inspiring!

What is it like being a BBCD student?
A little stressful – but it’s fun stress, thank goodness! I can honestly say that I love going to college.

And finally, what advice do you have for students looking to study Design?
Be passionate. And decide what’s best for you: multimedia or communication. If you get a kick out of animation multimedia and illustration, multimedia is the way to go. But if you find packaging, advertising and typography interesting, communication is for you.

Aaron Blabey

Studying Associate Degree in Communication Design

What were you doing before you started your studies at Billy Blue?
Writing and illustrating picture books for Penguin Books. Last year, I won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Award for Book of the Year. My first book made it onto the Smithsonian Institutes list of Notable Books of 2008 in the USA. Before this, I was an actor. I won the AFI Award for Best Actor in 1994.

What made you choose Billy Blue?
I want to work in advertising. So I needed to get a design qualification from a school that would plug me in to the industry. Billy Blue does just that.

What is your favourite subject and why?
Typography – it has vastly broadened my visual language.

Who are your favourite lecturers and why?
Top banana goes to Mr. Matt Leach – BB is very lucky to have him. Peter McGill is a terrific teacher because of his passion. Annette Lodge is both a beautiful illustrator and a splendid lecturer. Tim Jetis is an invaluable asset to the school because of his sensitive and human approach. And the marvelous Peter Worthington is worth the price of admission.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
Publishing my 7th book and working as an art director for an ad agency.

What are the essential ‘tools of the trade’ for a design student?
It’s what you make them.

What is it like being a BBCD student?
Because I’m older (35), it has been a little odd – but very rewarding!

And finally, what advice do you have for students looking to study design?
As Stefan Sagmeister says “Figure out what you’re good at – then work your ass off”.