Swannybc - 12:42 am on Dec 19, 2007 (gmt 0)

Hi,

I have a question to put out there. Do you think that a web-designer needs a post-secondary education to get work doing web-design.

I'm a self-taught amature web-designer. I have had no problem teaching myself html, css, Photoshop and Dreamweaver through books and tutorials. But now I am thinking about trying to earn an income from web-design, instead of just doing sites for free for friends.

I noticed from looking at job postings that every one of them seems to be asking for a minumum web-design certificate or equivalent post-secondary. I have a Bsc. in economics that is both over a decade old and not even closely relevent (the web hardly existed when I was in university).

In British Columbia, Canada, where I live, the two web-design certification programs I could find cost $6500. The course outlines appear to offer little more than what I already know (ie. html, css, Photoshop, Dreamweaver). So I am looking at paying a king's ransom in tuition and living expenses for 2 years to just get a piece of paper.

An aquaintance who works in web-design for a company in Vancouver told me at a party that I am crazy to pay all that money. He said he is self-taught and that a lot of designers out there are self-taught as well and earning good money (though he didn't offer me a job which may say something).

So what do people think? Pay the money and get the education? Should I just shop around a portfolio of the web-sites I have done and hope the education is overlooked? Would an "uneducated" designer be better off doing free-lance work?

Very interested in peoples ideas.

Thanks.