I'm currently going to Hocking College for Web Design. This is my second year but I feel I don't know much about it at all.
Every job i have looked into you have to have 2 years of experience or more.
Whats the best way to get this? Internships, Or just doing web sites on your own?

Hello,

I know when I was taking Graphic Design courses about 4 or 5 years ago an internship was required. I learned alot getting a change to work in the field then what I would have learned reading a text book. I think an internship is a great idea. Or perhaps offering to do some free work as a way to get your name to the public. I know people don't want to do free work but, I do think its beneficial. I hope I was helpful. Best of luck to you.

First of keep learning new things and practicing.You can offer free services too for practical knowledge and it helps a lot.

I think doing web design on your own is best. I personally think it's not worth going to college for because practice and experience is what will set you apart if you're going to start your own web design company. Why waste time looking for a job when you can be your own boss?

I agree with Nora. One year ago I was making some websites with drag and drop sotware. Today, I can't say I am an expert or anything, but by cramming, I have learned how to hand code validating XHTML and CSS sites plus picked up much graphic ability along the way.
A school's pace is just too slow to learn everything in my opinion.

thanks everyone.
Well I'm already in school for it and its my last year here. So i'll be graduating soon, but when I graduate i want to go to OU for Visual Communications. My bachelor.
I don't have any web design software to even start with.
whats the best to start out with? or The software you prefer?

Originally Posted by kay_jean07

I don't have any web design software to even start with.
whats the best to start out with? or The software you prefer?

Hallo Kayla,

You could always try Dreamweaver. Personally, i think it`s great. http://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver/

Regards!

Originally Posted by kay_jean07

I'm currently going to Hocking College for Web Design. This is my second year but I feel I don't know much about it at all.
Every job i have looked into you have to have 2 years of experience or more.
Whats the best way to get this? Internships, Or just doing web sites on your own?

I would do both. Try to find an internship at a good web design shop but also work on it in your own time. Depending on what area of web design you want to get into and how deep you want to go, your goals should/could include:

• Be able to code valid HTML and CSS
• Be able to take a Photoshop design and put it into code that will render properly in all browsers
• Learn a JavaScript framework like MooTools, jQuery, or Prototype
• Learn a server-side language like PHP or .NET
• Learn one or several SQL dialects like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Transact SQL
• Learn how to use source control
• Join an open source project that falls under your interests and contribute code (it's also great (and depending on where you go for a job afterward, expected) for your resume)

Originally Posted by VirtuosiMedia

• Be able to code valid HTML and CSS
• Be able to take a Photoshop design and put it into code that will render properly in all browsers
• Learn a JavaScript framework like MooTools, jQuery, or Prototype
• Learn a server-side language like PHP or .NET
• Learn one or several SQL dialects like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Transact SQL
• Learn how to use source control
• Join an open source project that falls under your interests and contribute code (it's also great (and depending on where you go for a job afterward, expected) for your resume)

thanks that is going to help me alot. I'll work on all this. =)

Of course, all that depends on whether you make a better designer or a developer. VirtuosiMedia is, like me, more of a developer than a designer. It is easy for us programmers to forget that designers don't need to know all of our technology to be good at what they do. Figuring out where you fit in is extremely important, and most companies hire people that can work in one department or another.

That said, it is still important to be aware of web technologies, and as a designer, it is still extremely important to know the intricacies of CSS/HTML. Also, once you start studying code, you may find that you fit in somewhere that you had not envisioned. Web design is one thing, but the development process itself is three tiered:

1. The design. This includes a sitemap, graphic art, and often some HTML markup. There is sometimes Flash work done in this category.
2. Front-end development. This is the realm of HTML/CSS and client side scripting, usually JavaScript.
3. Back-end development. This is the guts of the machine, which includes all of the server programming, and database design.

There are a lot of people that stray into multiple categories, but we all usually started out in one or the other. Every job category has to know something about #2, and we all need to be generally aware of the others, so we don't step on toes.

By numbering them 1-2-3 I don't mean to say it has to be done in that order. I've seen sites that start at the back-end, and work their way towards the front.

Its crazy, I thought I knew alot, but now I'm thinking I have alot to learn.
I didn't even know there was a difference!?

There's a company that also hiring newly graduated people.

Originally Posted by VirtuosiMedia

I would do both. Try to find an internship at a good web design shop but also work on it in your own time. Depending on what area of web design you want to get into and how deep you want to go, your goals should/could include:

• Be able to code valid HTML and CSS
• Be able to take a Photoshop design and put it into code that will render properly in all browsers
• Learn a JavaScript framework like MooTools, jQuery, or Prototype
• Learn a server-side language like PHP or .NET
• Learn one or several SQL dialects like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Transact SQL
• Learn how to use source control
• Join an open source project that falls under your interests and contribute code (it's also great (and depending on where you go for a job afterward, expected) for your resume)

I think this is the right answer of your question.

I suggest you to make web designing by your own first. Do expert by making it and then do intership in any firm.

Become a freelancer until you get into a job. Set up a site. Promote it.

Hello friends,
I am Edikan victor. i am internet into small internet businesses. and the most challenging part for me i think is website designing. so please can anyone here help me to show me at least how to start designing a website. with an application and also i need a web hosting company that will host it for $2-3 monthly for me.
you can reach me at ediko2008@yahoo.co.uk
kinds regards.

VirtuosiMedia suggestion giving web design/development objectives is a good guide to enable you focus on where your interest lies.

The last objective (Join an open source project that falls under your interests and contribute code) will give you instant exposure.

I completely agreed with VirtuosiMedia, In addition, I think as you are going to be a designer, you should have innovative ideas and Creativity. Your design should look different from others and attract target audiences,

I´m kind of new too at web design and according to some readings I have done it specify that is very helpful to have clear the objectives of your company in terms of your audience necessities, I mean because off course the future principal aim for you is to get clients or customers to visit your web so its better to thing before or during the design process all those kind of strategies for avoid future corrections or optimizations, I don’t know if was clear?...

Originally Posted by kay_jean07

I'm currently going to Hocking College for Web Design. This is my second year but I feel I don't know much about it at all.
Every job i have looked into you have to have 2 years of experience or more.
Whats the best way to get this? Internships, Or just doing web sites on your own?

I highly recommend this site: http://www.w3schools.com/

That is basically where I learned almost everything I know about website designing. You can also practice designing your own websites with a Yahoo Geocities account which gives you free hosting.

Start practicing and soon you will be able to design good looking sites.