there are two prominent ad schools out there, Vega and AAA. most guys in the industry reckon Vega's the best of the two. i think they offer a 3 year BA degree. You can then go into Copy, Art Direction or Graphic design, on the creative side and Brand Management or Strategy on the marketing side. They're in Benmore, Sandton. I'm sure the number's in the book.

yeah, i'd also recommend Vega!go onto their website vegaschool.co.za or call Nolene on 011 883 0130...

... not sure if others may agree with me, but I did work for me. Before I started @ Red & Yellow, I shadowed worked @ Publisis did for 6months, really helped a lot. Good for networking... and if you really prove urself to the agency... helps a lot, trust me...

i said uranus

Don't rule out University qualifications. Of course it depends on exactly what you want to be in the field. My friend has a Bachelor of Business Science with Post-grad in Marketing Management and earns R50K pm in Cape Town and is a Marketing Executive, with only 4 years experience!! The guy is talented!!
Be aware that the industry is TOUGH and expect LONG hours with little pay at the beginning!!

Just go to AAA, is the best and I studie there and got a job during the 3rd year of my studies. it's in Craighall.

I'm in my second year at vega and me and two of my buddies have already had job offers, plus it's the only degree course in Advertising you can do. So ask yourself do you want only a diploma or do you want a degree with the option of doing your honours here as well. Besides, they have much better equipment than anyone else and their campus is by far the best.

i agree with you on the fact that it does help a great deal to work as an intern while you are studying. unfortunately when i was studying i felt like i didn't have the time to manage the added responsibility. i have a b.soc.sc degree and a postgrad. diploma in marketing from UCT. i am working currently as a marketing assistant at a small company but feel as though i am limited to only doing event coordinating. how can i get into the mag. industry doing promo or advertising marketing? any advise for me?

Don't be a fool, go into marketing instead. You get paid about 10 times more than you ever would working for an agency (unless it's a crappy one like Y&R/JWT/Gavin Reddy). Or, you could be clever like me, undercut the big agancies, and do lots of rubbish and get paid even more than those idiots at the agencies I've just mentioned. Think about it carefully before you consider following those silly dreams of being all creative, because 'the man' just won't let it happen. All good ads die by the hand of 'the man'. Or in today's more politically correct terms, by 'the woman/person-man. Better yet, study and do something that actually means something in this world. Or, become a talented Art Director like me. Yes, then you'll be just the creative person you've always wanted to be. Viva the Art Directors, Viva!!!

I see you are very quick to insult agencies. Clearly you are quite young and exceptionally immature. What goes around comes around. I hope you never need one of those agencies.

You can express an opinion but learn a bit of tact - it goes a long way.

By the way I do not and have never worked at an agency, just in case you thought I was protecting my own but as a Producer I hope I never bump into you as an art director on any of my sets.

Hi.. while we're on the topic...
Where in Durban can i enrol for a course in Flash..
One that will see me thoroughly competent once i'm completed the course. Email me.

Thanx

Phibe

Under normal circumstances I would not even have deigned to lay my fingers on the keyboard and waste valuable brain-power on commenting on such a crass, back-ended pandamonium of words. But I just want offer my opinion on Sizwe's "creative" writing.

Sizwe, it does not say a lot for you that you had to resort to using such common language, and generalisation is the mother of all disaster (never mind assumption). YOU may have had a bad experience - been turned away after a horrific interview because you were "just not right for this job" - but this doesn't give you a silver platter on which to spit your condescension.

I myself do not work for an agency, by choice and for various reasons, so I am not speaking from a 'bodyguard' basis, but as one of the other commentors stated: a bit of tact is always in order, and it does NOT do to slate an institution merely because it makes you feel better about yourself.

perhaps someone from those "bad agencies" should give sizwe a call. what else was the point of posting this? after two days then sizwe or the "man" can tell us how incredibly talented sizwe really is. viva un-masking cowards, viva!

Advertising & marketing is a crock of pooh! Don't do it - be real, be a game ranger, farm sheep. Trust me, you'll thank me later. Unless your dream car is the new Polo ... from there you'll aspire to an Audi TiTi ... think about it, you hate those guys.

These schools turn out students by the hundreds, however there are not enough jobs, find another career

Make sure wherever you study that you build an impressive relevant (not just pretty) portfolio (if you're aiming for the creative side of things). While you do this figure out how you will be differentiating yourself from the thousands of other hopefuls - the supply side of the industry is nearing saturation if it hasn't already overshot it.

Also try to figure out where you want to go in the industry, agency or freelance, small or large co. or perhaps in-house at a corporate.

The vegas, AAAs, and R&Y seem to have a pretty good reps.(some argue they are too popular and over-extending themselves) Damelin is offering a new course called Media design and technologies at some campuses that looks like an interesting starting point, and is vaguely linked to MGI's design school which offers degrees and postgradual qualifications in either design, animation or advertising as far as I know.

Figure out what's going to prevent you from becoming a 'point and click' operator for the rest of your life.

And like the others say; network, network, network!

Break a leg!

I categorically witdraw anything and everything positivive I have said about Damelin.

Hi there,

where do you go if you can't afford to go to a pvt college?
i've been looking at the damelin course and they offer a web/graphic design certicate at CTU. Is this a bad idea?

Hi.. while we're on the topic...
Where in Durban can i enrol for a course in Flash..
One that will see me thoroughly competent once i'm completed the course. Email me.

Thanx

Phibe

Hello! Its a few years later, but Phiba, have you foud your flash course you were looking for?
Did you know that Vega opened in Durban and offers digital courses on a part time basis? Call them on 031 266 2595!