| For the Facebook generation, internet work is an | | | | company in her teens, Anna Debenham hasn't taken |
| increasingly attractive career choice. Building up and | | | | long to become an authoritative voice on freelance |
| personalising your own profile page or blog can be a | | | | work, and many of the highly experienced speakers at |
| stepping stone as an interest turns into a vocation. | | | | the conference where she recently delivered her |
| With enough interest, young people can start to cross | | | | speech, the Carsonified Future of Web Design, London, |
| the threshold between web user to web creator. | | | | were in their twenties or early thirties. |
| Anna Debenham, a speaker at the recent Future of | | | | The conference was held from the 17th-19th May of |
| Web Design conference, started up her own | | | | this year, and was packed with top-notch speakers |
| freelance website design company when she was | | | | from places as diverse as Manchester, Brighton and |
| just eighteen, and the internet is a hot destination for | | | | Massachusetts, all specialists in website design. London, |
| ambitious, technically-minded young people. | | | | however, is where these folks come every year to |
| The capital is the centre for most of Britain's most | | | | get together and discuss the future of website design. |
| progressive industries, including website design. London | | | | It seems easy to stay connected when you work in |
| is a hotbed for web design talent, and every year | | | | web design - the internet is the art of communication, |
| young designers flock from all over the country to | | | | after all. Still, being geographically close is important for |
| kick-start their careers in the capital. | | | | events like these, and the recent conference was a |
| One motivation for young people to get their careers | | | | great example of the innovative style of |
| started in London is the amazing variety of website | | | | London-based web design. Featuring a host of young |
| design and related courses on offer in the city. One | | | | speakers, it was revitalised for 2010. Taking place in |
| hundred and thirty-four London colleges offer courses | | | | exciting new venues The Brewery, near the Barbican, |
| in web design; London Metropolitan alone offers | | | | and Wallacespace, a venue which has only been open |
| forty-eight different courses. Website design students | | | | since last year, the conference offered 33 speeches, |
| can work on their skills full time or part time, as a | | | | workshops and events over three days. It's gathering |
| post-graduate qualification, first degree or vocational | | | | points like these which demonstrate the vividly |
| skills course. A lot of employers use these courses to | | | | changing dynamic within this industry, one which is at |
| keep their staff up-to-date on the latest IT and internet | | | | once diverse and full of concentrated talent. Web |
| developments, but increasingly clients are realising that | | | | designers will continue to develop and share their skills |
| web design is something which needs a professional | | | | all over the world, but for taught courses, top-level |
| brain. And once qualified, talent is what counts; young | | | | clients, and face-to-face community, London with its |
| people don't need to have put in years of experience | | | | conferences and meeting points, will remain the UK |
| to succeed in this innovative field, but they do need | | | | web design centre. |
| spark and initiative. After starting her website design | | | | |