What InDesign Classes Should I Take to Become a Graphic Designer?

These days, succeeding as a professional Graphic Designer depends heavily on your ability to demonstrate the most in-demand skills applicable to the graphic design industry, which means that simply listing skills on a resume is rarely enough to land a job.

Consequently, it’s more vital than ever that the classes you choose provide you with up-to-date training on all the most important technologies, techniques, and soft skills used in graphic design. While not a comprehensive list, these skills include Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and applied design theory. In addition to helping you understand the difference between available classes, this article will provide insights on which types of design classes can best help you achieve your goal of becoming a Graphic Designer. 

Immersive Bootcamps and Certificate Classes

If draining your bank account on a multi-year college design degree doesn’t sound very appealing to you, a graphic design certificate course may be a better fit. Although these programs may not offer quite as much training and experience as a college degree, they’re intended to launch your career on a much quicker timeline. These immersive classes prioritize skills training and professional development over theoretical background, meaning that you spend less time thinking about the future than actually making it happen. By engaging with real-world projects, you’ll build practical skills and professional experience that you can take with you into your first job. This practical training serves the added purpose of helping you beef up a professional portfolio that showcases your new skill set for prospective employers, and many certificate courses even include portfolio workshops that allow you to refine your portfolio into a beautiful finished product. 

If you choose to participate in a graphic design certificate, it also pays not to skip out on the added career services offered by these courses. In addition to offering skills training, certificate programs often offer benefits like resume review, mock interviews, mentorship, and help with planning your career. Many programs also promise support as you look for your first job and some even offer internships and job placement guarantees. 

Short Classes

Thanks to the wide variety of shorter class offerings, it’s not the end of the world if circumstances won’t allow you to participate in a career-oriented training program. You can still become a Graphic Designer by spreading your training out over multiple shorter classes, but there are a few things to be aware of if you choose this option. First, this method of training may take more time and money in the long run but could be more efficient for your needs. Secondly, to ensure your training is comprehensive, there are several types of short classes you’ll need to include in your training plan if you choose this option.

Advanced Design Application Classes

While just about anyone can make an amateur design with an Adobe Creative Cloud tool, it takes additional training to learn how to create a remarkable design that will land you a job, and that’s where advanced design courses come in. Once you’ve moved beyond the beginner classes for Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, mastering these tools at an advanced level is critical. In addition, rather than focusing all your attention on one of these tools, be sure to learn how to use all three, as you’ll need them together to create multimedia designs as a Graphic Designer. 

Complementary Design Application Classes

Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are the top three design technologies used in the graphic design industry, but learning how to use complementary tools can help you stand out in today’s increasingly saturated and competitive job market, making it more likely that you’ll get a job. Depending on what types of projects you find interesting, design tools that may complement your skill set include video production tools like Premiere Pro, UX/UI design tools like Figma, and web design tools like WordPress. 

Graphic Design Theory Classes

Graphic design may be a creative skill, but it’s a misconception to think that all creativity is purely innate. In reality, creativity is a skill that can be improved when you learn how to apply design theory to your graphics. While MFA degrees explore design theory at a much greater depth, you can explore the essential principles of design in a shorter class or even get tips from free design resources. As a rule of thumb, however, the knowledge you gain from an expert-led course is likely to be more thorough than anything you can glean from a free online resource. 

Portfolio Development and Professional Training Classes

Because most short courses aren’t designed for career preparation, they don’t usually come with important career benefits like job support and portfolio development. As a result, some schools offer dedicated portfolio development courses that provide opportunities to build and workshop a portfolio that showcases your capabilities as a designer. A solid portfolio is often key to getting hired, making it important not to skip this step in your training process. 

In addition to portfolio classes, some schools also offer short classes designed to supplement the professional benefits that you miss out on by not participating in a certificate course. While these programs vary widely, they’ve been known to offer training on how to prepare a job graphic design application, answer interview questions, and work in a team studio setting. 

Learn InDesign Skills with Noble Desktop

If you’re looking for a high-quality training school that offers InDesign classes for all learning styles, Noble Desktop is one of the top providers of tech and design classes. They offer a variety of InDesign classes for study in NYC or live online, and guarantee you’ll come away with skills rather than just theoretical knowledge. To get your hobby started, consider joining the InDesign in a Day course for a quick guide to InDesign for casual learners.

Alternatively, you can master all of InDesign’s functions by attending the Adobe InDesign Bootcamp, which welcomes veteran designers and beginners alike. Instead of making you sit through boring lecture-style tutorials, this class will get you started using InDesign right away, with hands-on projects designed to help you build skills. To cater to all levels, the course includes guidance on InDesign’s basic functions before working up to advanced skills. By the time you’re through, you’ll have the tools necessary to create projects of all types, from one-page advertisements and posters to complex magazine and book spreads. 

To make your daydreams about pursuing a design career a reality, Noble Desktop also offers comprehensive career training programs that include InDesign instruction alongside a myriad of other essential career skills. Among their most popular design career programs is the Graphic Design Certificate, which combines InDesign training with applied design theory, Photoshop, and Illustrator. As you complete practical learning projects, you’ll gain professional experience, build soft skills in team communication, and add spice to your portfolio. To ensure you get the best start possible in your career, this course also provides you with a one-on-one mentor and job support.