Self-taught here, too—I disappointed a lot of people by not going to college.
Since I learned how to use AutoCAD in highschool, I started my career as a designer at various engineering firms (mostly oil field-related disciplines; e.g. structural, mechanical).
I also spent ~18 months as a graphic design at a real estate "startup" during the housing boom of the early 2000s where I cut my teeth on Adobe software.
Later, I spent ~3 years at a civil engineering firm that specialized in large-scale land planning where I designed 100s of exhibits to showcase existing/proposed conditions for master planned communities, airports, industrial facilities, etc.
After the real estate fallout, I learned HTML/CSS/WordPress (aka "web design circa 2010) and built some websites until landing a job as a designer at a startup in San Diego. We eventually moved to Austin (where I am to this day) and have worked as a web-based software designer at a variety of startups.
I am very lucky to be where I am without having gone to school, but would still not recommend going for anything related to "design".
Self-taught here, too—I disappointed a lot of people by not going to college.
Since I learned how to use AutoCAD in highschool, I started my career as a designer at various engineering firms (mostly oil field-related disciplines; e.g. structural, mechanical).
I also spent ~18 months as a graphic design at a real estate "startup" during the housing boom of the early 2000s where I cut my teeth on Adobe software.
Later, I spent ~3 years at a civil engineering firm that specialized in large-scale land planning where I designed 100s of exhibits to showcase existing/proposed conditions for master planned communities, airports, industrial facilities, etc.
After the real estate fallout, I learned HTML/CSS/WordPress (aka "web design circa 2010) and built some websites until landing a job as a designer at a startup in San Diego. We eventually moved to Austin (where I am to this day) and have worked as a web-based software designer at a variety of startups.
I am very lucky to be where I am without having gone to school, but would still not recommend going for anything related to "design".