Student Guide to B. T. E. C. Design

BTEC design students are very different from the traditional image of the unwashed artist.

They are energetic, creative people training for a career in one of the fastest growing sectors of modern industry.

Although they are collectively called design students they could be studying a range of design specialisms from graphics to industrial design, fashion, textiles or interior design.

Design is, in fact, one of the largest subject areas in BTEC.

But despite this popularity, design is a subject shrouded in mystery, especially for those not involved in it, and, consequently, new and potential students are often bewildered and unsure as to what to expect when they apply to and enrol onto a BTEC design courses in detail.

It aims to give you better understanding of what design is about, what design students are expected to learn, and how they learn about design.

The author, Norman Lucking, runs a BTEC design course and is also a BTEC design moderator, which means he has experience of a range of design courses across the country. Before becoming a design lecturer he was a practising designer in a large design consultancy, so he also knows what employers look for in successful design students.