7 Reasons Why AND Academy is the Ultimate Place to Learn Design

Imagine a world where your phone is hard to use or your favorite website looks confusing. Awful, right? Trust design to save the day!

Design makes everything fun and easy to use. It is all around us and it shapes how things look and work. Good design solves problems, makes life better, and keeps us coming back for more. You see it everywhere—from posters and apps to websites and room decor. And as organizations increasingly recognize its value, there is an increase in demand for people with this talent. Many new jobs need good design skills. 

Learning design can feel overwhelming. With so many tools, trends, and theories, it’s hard to know where to start or who to trust. That’s where AND Academy comes in and makes learning design fun, simple, and effective. But, that’s not all. Allow us to give you a walkthrough of the seven reasons why this is the ultimate place to learn design.

Here is the breakdown of all the things that we have covered in this blog:

• The Importance of Design & Why You Should Learn It
• Why Choose AND Academy
• Student Success Stories
• Conclusion

The Importance of Design & Why You Should Learn It

Design plays a huge role in the world today. Understanding its value is the first step to knowing why it’s essential to success and worth investing in for structured learning.

Why design is an exciting field today

From the apps on your phone to the posters you see, design shapes how we interact with the modern-day world. Good design solves problems. For example, a well-designed app that is easy to navigate, looks great, and is fun to use, will organically resolve the issue of user retention. 

Design is also a booming industry. The global graphic design market is expected to grow to $78.25 billion by 2030. In the US, it’s already worth $16.9 billion. This growth means that, in the coming years, companies will need many more skilled designers for websites, apps, logos, and more. 

Besides, learning design opens doors to varied creative careers. You can become a graphic designer, UI UX designer, interior designer, or motion graphics artist. Design is fun and purposeful; it lets you express your creativity and make things people love. Be it in branding, marketing, or technology-related fields, design finds relevance everywhere in today’s world. 

Why structured learning is essential to the field

Learning design on your own can be tough. There are so many tools, techniques, and rules to master. Structured learning, like at AND Academy, gives you a clear path. You start with the basics and build up to advanced skills while becoming part of a community and industry network.

Structured learning also means practice. You don’t just read about design—you do it. Through projects, you apply what you learn and create a portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of your best work that shows employers what you can do and can be an essential tool to acquire your dream job.

Feedback is another big benefit. At AND Academy, expert mentors guide you and help you improve. This is something you can’t get from watching random videos online. The one-on-one sessions that come with live classes sets AND apart from self-paced, recorded learning methods.

Why Choose AND Academy

When you decide to learn design online, you want more than just videos to watch. You want a learning experience that is engaging, interactive, and aligned with what the industry needs. That’s exactly what AND Academy delivers. Here are the seven reasons why it stands out:

1. Industry-Relevant Curriculum

AND Academy’s courses teach skills that companies need. For example, in the Graphic Design course, you learn to create designs for print and digital media. You work on projects that mimic real-world challenges, so you’re job-ready when you graduate.

The UI UX Design course teaches you to design user-friendly apps and websites. You build a portfolio of projects, which is exactly what employers want to see. Other courses, like Interior Design and Motion Graphics, are also designed to meet industry needs and equip you with the skills you need to set up your own practice/studio, while at the same time helping you connect with a network of professionals you can work with.

2. Expert Mentors

Students at AND Academy learn from expert design professionals who work in the industry in present times. These mentors have many years of experience at top companies and studios, so they know what’s happening right now in design.

• Prachi Mittal: Academic lead with 20+ years in product, social, and publication design; she leads the Design Fundamentals and Research Methods courses.
  
• Shiva Viswanathan: Co-founder and CMO at Catenate.io, Shiva teaches Brand Strategy and UX Systems Thinking based on his Ogilvy and digital-agency experience.
  
• Soumya Tiwari: Former art director at Yash Raj Films, Soumya leads Graphic Design Studio and Art Direction classes.
  
• Kirti Bhan: Product designer and film-set art director, Kirti teaches Product Design Studio and 3D Visual Direction.
  
• Shubha Roy Singh: A UI/UX specialist with global freelance clients, Shubha runs Interactive Prototyping and Advanced Visual Communication workshops.
  
• Kaushikee Gupta: RCA-trained artist and curriculum developer, Kaushikee teaches Design Research and Digital Media Art Practices.
  
• Tavleen Kaur: Interior architect with projects for Studio AVT and DHUN.Life, Tavleen leads our Interior Design course, covering Spatial Planning and 3D Modeling.

AND mentors don’t just teach from books. They give you one-on-one guidance, watch your work, and give instructions/feedback to make it better. Through these sessions AND tries to bring everything that defines traditional, offline learning into the online world, giving you the flexibility to learn from the comfort of your own home. 

3. Live, Interactive Classes 

A key feature of AND Academy is that all classes are instructor-led. AND’s classes are live online, so you can join with your teacher and classmates at the same time instead of watching recorded videos. You can ask questions and get answers right away, and you work on fun activities like group projects and hands-on exercises. Since there are only about 25 to 30 students in each class, the teacher can provide individual attention to each learner and cater to their learning needs. This also allows them to give you tips to help improve any aspects you might be struggling with. Plus, every session is recorded, so if you ever forget something or want to see it again, you can just replay the lesson.

4. Flexible Part-Time Format

Most AND Academy programs are part-time and designed for working people. Classes are usually held in the evenings, so you can “learn and work simultaneously”. This flexibility is ideal if you have a job or other commitments. It’s through this that AND makes high-quality design education accessible to a large group of learners who cannot commit to full-time study and might not find it feasible to visit a campus. 

5. Hands-On Projects & Portfolio Building

Learning at AND Academy is practical and hands-on, so students learn by doing real design projects. Each course includes tasks such as creating a brand identity, designing a social media campaign, and making a brochure. You will also design web or app screens and build motion-graphics animation. From day one, students start to build their own professional portfolios. They attend workshops on how to choose and display their best work and  also get personal feedback from mentors on areas of improvement. By the end of the course, each student has a strong portfolio to show employers. 

You can view past students' projects online. Check out Bibin S's brand identity work or Veda Parapurath's app design. This will help you see the quality of work you can create with AND’s courses. This hands-on focus makes sure graduates finish ready for real design jobs, with clear proof of their skills.

6. Cohort-Based Community

Students at AND Academy learn within a small cohort. Each class typically has around 25-30 students. This creates a close community where you share ideas, work on projects, and support each other. You get to learn not just from your teachers but also from classmates, in turn making peer-learning an essential part of how the courses are delivered. Making friends with other designers helps you build a network you can use later and connections you can always fall back on. Being part of a group like this makes online learning feel more fun and less lonely, ensuring you don’t miss out on the learning experience that comes with on-campus courses.

7. Career Support

AND Academy helps you start your career from day one and stays with you even after you land a job. The Career Services Team gives you personalized advice based on your goals. They help you create a strong resume, improve your LinkedIn profile, and even practice job interviews in mock sessions to build your confidence. AND’s Career Services also teaches learners soft skills like how to talk with clients and negotiate pay. If you want to freelance, they show you how to find clients and set your prices. This holistic support not only helps you get your first job but also keeps you growing in your design career.

Job Guarantee 

Selected programs, like both PG Diploma options in Graphic Design and the PG Diploma in UI UX Design, AND Academy offers a Job Guarantee. This guarantee reflects the academy's confidence in its training. The promise is that of a placement within six months of graduation. If not placed, students may receive a refund of their course fee.

Eligibility depends on meeting specific requirements, including minimum attendance and successful course completion. The detailed terms and conditions for the Job Guarantee are specific to each program and shared with learners upon receiving their offer of admission. This guarantee reduces students’ financial risk and shows how much AND Academy believes in training and helping learners achieve career goals.

Backed by Design Pedigree

AND Academy comes from a well-established history in design education. It was launched by the Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD)- known for being one of the top design institutes in India. Most importantly, IIAD was founded in partnership with Kingston School of Art, London. This collaboration infuses global benchmarks and insights into the educational framework.

They have more than ten years of design teaching experience. This means the courses are well-respected. Over 50 mentors teach at AND Academy. Many studied at MIT or NID. Others worked at top companies.The academy is respected by the industry. Companies like IBM, Cognizant, and Gartner trust AND Academy’s training.

Student Success Stories

Our students come from varied backgrounds but share one journey. They discovered AND Academy’s live classes, real projects, and expert mentors, and moved confidently into new roles. Read how four learners found their path and how you can too.

1. Rea’s Design Journey

Rea found AND when she was trying to turn her Fine Arts degree into a clear career. Here are the bits of our Graphic Design Diploma course that helped her the most.

• Step-by-step projects: From sketching mood boards to laying out a brochure for a textile show, Rea learned each tool and technique through small, guided lessons.
  
• Live feedback: Weekly one-on-one sessions helped her refine color choices, typography, and layout until her work looked professional.
  
• Result: With a strong brochure piece in her portfolio, Rea landed interviews at top studios back home.

For more details, read Rea’s full journey here.

2. Sidharth’s Career Shift

As an engineering graduate, Sidharth loved branding his class presentations but didn’t know where to learn design. He enrolled in our PG Diploma in Graphic Design and here’s what he received.

• Hands-on workshops: He built paper sketches for a music-inspired poster, then digitized and perfected it under mentor guidance.
  
• Real-world briefs: Creating a fold-out brochure on leather puppetry taught him to research, plan, and tell a story through design.
  
• Result: Armed with a polished portfolio and newfound confidence, Sidharth now works as a Junior Art Director.

For more details, read Sidharth’s full journey here.

3. Vartika’s Move into UI UX

Vartika was already a graphic designer before she found us but wanted to understand users better. She chose our UI UX Design Diploma and here’s what helped her. 

• User-first approach: She mapped out who would use an artisan-crafts event platform, then sketched wireframes and built clickable prototypes- all practical skills that gave her a strong start.
  
• Mentor reviews: Live sessions on her Figma files taught her how to make clear, intuitive screens.
  
• Result: Vartika now designs user journeys and interfaces for a leading tech startup.

For more details, read Vartika’s full journey here.

4. Priyanka’s Interior Design Career

Priyanka was working in PR and dabbled in art alongside but wanted to give design a fair chance. When she joined our Diploma in Interior Design, everything changed.

• Project-based learning: She planned and visualized a small home makeover, choosing finishes, furniture layouts, and lighting schemes.
  
• One-on-one guidance: Mentor calls helped her master 3D modeling tools and perfect her design presentations.
  
• Result: Priyanka graduated with a portfolio and the know-how to launch her own interior design studio.

For more details, read Priyanka’s full journey here.

These stories show how AND Academy helps you every step of the way. Whether you’re a beginner or come from a design background, our live classes, real projects, and proactive mentors go out of their way to help you reach your goals. 

Feel like you’re ready to start your own success story?  Visit the AND Academy website to learn more about what we offer. 

Conclusion

Learning design opens doors to an exciting future and selecting the right place to study is important for achieving one's goals. AND Academy is the ultimate place to get an online education in design because it teaches skills that are required in the current job market and lets you learn comes industry experts currently working in the design field. The live, interactive classes ensure engaging and effective learning. The part-time courses are suited to the needs of those who have tight schedules. Students build strong, job-ready portfolios through hands-on projects and become part of a supportive cohort-based community. Comprehensive career support aids in finding employment, with some courses offering a job guarantee. 

For those wishing to start their journey in design, AND Academy provides a roadmap. Students are advised to where they can review lesson plans and talk to course advisors for more detailed information about the programs. The first step towards a creative career is only a click away!

For more blogs, visit the AND Academy blog section. You can also explore this inspiring project by AND learner Sunali Khajuria.

Next Steps

In case you need further assistance, here are some resources to consider:

1. Watch this session by Snehanshu Mukherjee, Founding Partner at T.E.A.M and Mansi Almadi, an Interior Designer at Studio Lotus
2. Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our courses.
3. Check out our Interior Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive classes by industry experts.
4. Take advantage of our scholarship and funding options to overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.

Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.