All kinds of schools are starting to pop up in the sunny island of Singapore.
*Very sunny in fact. Everyday when I go for lunch, I step out from the shade provided by my office building and into the sun and I swear, I swear, I hear a sizzling sound. When I was little, I used to take a magnifying glass and burn ants and other insects with the focused beam. The hunter has become the hunted.*
Design schools especially have suddenly begun to spring up like Polly on a sugar diet and a pogo stick. Call me old school but I am of the opinion that 90 percent of the 13 year old students who enter these alternative study schools would end up future-less alumni.
How many really successful fashion designers can you name from here? Ashley Isham? That’s one. The tailor at Bukit Timah Plaza? Not counted.
Artists? I don’t know but I suspect zero.
Well, maybe the Valedictorian can find himself/herself a job at ‘This Fashion’, I’ll give you that.
Why not do something that will actually give you the ability to earn yourself a living next time? Little known Nouveau Riche for example provides education to become real estate investors. Yes, Nouveau Riche. Besides Nouveau Riche University, there are many alternatives. Unless your last name is Ford or Karan, design should not be a choice.
Cathy said
May 30 2008 @ 4:18 am
Hey Derek,
I am trying out this blog thing. Put me in your network okay? Anyhow, personally, I really think that art and design, is more of talent and having an eye for it, than skill, you know? Sure, there are a couple of things you could teach on it, but ultimately, it is more of inspiration, experience and just being out there, creating. Therefore, well, not only design schools not practical (as you believe them to be, that was how I construed what you wrote anyway), I go further saying that design schools are mainly, how do you be nice about it??? um… a good addition to your resume but definitely not a necessity. There. So serious, haha. Take care of Sabs!