SRH Berufsfachschule für CrossMediaDesign - Heidelberg

Domas Sirbike

This is a perfect place for someone who wants to explore the creative field but isn't sure which direction to take. The headmistress, the teachers and the staff are all very friendly and always ready to help.

The Ausbildung covers a wide range of topics, including design fundamentals, working with Adobe tools, 3D design, basics of coding, video design, and more. (Check out the Info PDF on their website for the full curriculum.)

I finished the Ausbildung in 2023, and it was a great experience. Here’s my advice for anyone considering joining:

1. Research the Curriculum: Review the curriculum and use Google and YouTube to learn about the life of a graphic designer. What tools do they use? Many students realize they chose the wrong Ausbildung not because it's bad, but because they aren't interested in this type of work. If you want to be a great designer, web developer, photographer, video editor, or 3D developer, YOU NEED TO LEARN THE THEORY. For any design project, you need to understand how to combine colors, create a solid layout, and work with text, among other things. If the idea of learning this repels you, it’s probably not the right path for you. It’s no coincidence that those who learned the theory also excelled in the practical aspects.

2. Set High Expectations for Yourself: Before judging the capabilities and knowledge of the teachers, ensure you’re doing everything you can to learn what they are teaching. Many students constantly complain about poor explanations, but they put little effort into learning the material themselves. Anything taught at a university can be learned online. Teachers are there to guide you in the right direction. Once they do, go home and use YouTube and Google to delve deeper into the topic. While sometimes it might be the teacher’s fault, it’s often not. You have the knowledge of the entire human history at your fingertips. If you don’t understand something, do some googling instead of complaining. Teachers aren’t perfect, but quadruple your effort before blaming them.

3. Work on Individual Projects and Seek Feedback: One of the main advantages of this Ausbildung is the opportunity to work on your own projects with professional feedback. I asked all the teachers for advice and second opinions. They were extremely helpful and answered more questions than I expected. I'm sure they were sometimes annoyed by my constant presence, but they never showed it. They always helped. There is this one teacher who I've arranged 5x 30min meetings with during lunch break, which was a turningpoint for my project. I still can't believe it. I'd love to share his name, but I’m not sure if it’s appropriate here. With classrooms rarely containing more than 20 students, and most students not asking questions, it’s the perfect place to get a ton of feedback if you seek it out.

Treat this as a full-time job: go to school, get tips and pointers, go home and work/google, go back to school and ask for feedback, then repeat. Don't waste your time otherwise.

After finishing this Ausbildung, you won’t be an expert in any one field, but you will have a solid grasp of the most important concepts in several key areas. If becoming a great designer is like building a house, this Ausbildung will help you clear the site, level the ground, and lay a strong foundation.

I definitely recommend it.