I have a 2.1 BA HONS IN typography and graphic communication however not worked for 15 or so years in this industry

[Municorn]

Hi
Please can I get advice.

I have a good degree in Graphic Design. I worked for about 6 years or more after I left university it the field of graphic design, from there I worked For 9 years as a Retail photographic art director, with less emphasis on graphic design. So about 15 years full time experience and 4 years studying at university.

I left this field to have a baby. I got divorced about ten years ago and have been working as an artist and an art teacher (Not in school as I am not qualified But after school and adults for about 5 years) since with a few tiny pro bono graphic design projects, posters, leaflets logos etc.

Now my daughter is a teenager I am freer to work and I desperately need to earn money. Art and teaching pays me nothing and now with lockdown nothing is the right word, I have lost all my income.

I thought about retraining to do something else something I could work around being still around for my daughter after school and holidays as I have no family to help out, however I have no idea what that would be.

I have looked into graphic design jobs but I have not been working full time for years in this industry, I do not know web design or illustrator.

I do not know if I should retrain as a graphic designer (how on earth do I retrain as I do not need to start from the beginning but half way through and this does not seem possible).

I have tried to learn illustrator online but it is so hard when you have nothing to apply it to and and it goes out of my head after a month or so.

I am not massively passionate about graphic design but I need to earn money and was very successful before I gave it up to have a child and get married (god I sound like a 1950’s housewife 😞).

Please any advice on what I should do and if I retrain how do I do it please, would be gladly received.

Also will I be at the bottom of the pile with all those young, hip, graduates of graphic design (I am 46) who are struggling to get work. I am worried that graphic design is over run with applicants and no work. So anyone in that field already if you could let me know that would be great. Is it a young persons field now?

Bumping for you as in a similar boat - different industry.

It's daunting isn't it?

I use commercial designers to produce core imagery for a range of things like trade stands, corporate branding and web site design. Almost everything we do is in illustrator because from there, it can be used for almost anything.

If your core design skills are good, can you not take a course in illustrator specifically?

Don’t worry about the “hip, trendy graduates”. I’d rather have a good designer that doesn’t disappear for months on end and listens to the objectives of a project and sometimes that can be hard to find.

Mintjulia. Thank you so much for your reply. Yes I could def do that in fact I am going to look into it now as I started the adobe online tutorials that you get free as I subscribe to the three main adobe design programs as I use InDesign and photoshop a lot. However it is so hard to be motivated when you are doing it online I much prefer face to face, if of course that is possible anymore 😱
Werkhorse it is all super stressful and scary, good luck to you 😄

I think it's easier to make small steps in a different direction rather than a massive change into a new career.

What are you really good at and what do you enjoy?

Do you like the teaching? Could you do Teach First where you're employed/retraining at the same time.

How about the design? Could you market yourself differently? My friend has her own business and is thinking about getting some help with rebranding. I think she would far rather deal with someone older/sensible than someone hip and trendy.