Career Information
In response to a recent survey, 95.5% of Graphic Design for Marketing Alumni are currently employed, and 84% currently employed in Graphic Design (with key specialties in Brand, Strategy and Marketing, Social Media, Packaging and UI/UX)
Graduates of the GDMA program are prepared for a wide range of entry-level graphic design positions:
- Generalist graphic designers for corporations, small businesses, non-profit organizations and agencies in general marketing or communications roles that draw on their graphic design skills
- In-house graphic designers for large corporations or institutions with their own marketing communications department
- Specialist graphic designers with expertise in UX and UI design, packaging design, advertising design and display design
- Freelance or entrepreneur designers with the business and marketing savvy needed to launch their own businesses
Today, the visual communication design field is broader than ever, and graphic designers have a wide range of career opportunities. Our graduates create brand identities for corporations, launch marketing campaigns for non-profits, and create everything from product packaging to websites to retail displays.
To see what our graduates are up to, check out check out what our students and graduates are up to.
Industry Experience
In keeping with our polytechnic mandate, the Wilson School of Design's Graphic Design for Marketing program is focused on providing enriched learning opportunities and relevant industry experiences, offered in a supportive and challenging learning environment. This ensures our graduates are positioned for success in their careers. Establishing itself as leader in graphic design education, the program is constantly evolving in alignment with industry through a rigorous academic course of study.
Industry Standards
A consistent aspect of our program, which is woven into all our teaching, is a respect for and an understanding of maintaining industry standards and ethics. Our program functions in accordance with the Design Professionals of Canada (DesCan) Code of Ethics and we look to the industry for ongoing leadership and support in these areas.
Industry Collaboration
The Vancouver area is teeming with many small, medium and large design firms. We are grateful to have strong ties with most of these companies, and we are proud to say that many of our graduates work in leading positions. Locally, we are so thankful to have access to industry who give our students access on field trips, come to our campus and provide workshops and guest speaking presentations, provide work practicum and mentorship opportunities and so much more. Many of our faculty have worked in industry and maintain strong connections to the local and national design community. These connections give our graduating students incredible resources and skills to secure meaningful employment in the field.
Program Advisory Committee
Our Advisory Committee plays a key role in keeping the Graphic Design for Marketing program current and relevant. Made up of education and design industry leaders, the committee brings real-world insight that helps ensure graduates are prepared to contribute to a creative, technical, and fast-changing field. Working closely with faculty, administration, and students, the Advisory Committee helps shape the program and guides ongoing updates to curriculum, tools, and resources. Their continued involvement allows the program to respond quickly to technological innovations and shifts in the marketplace. program is known for providing access to state-of-the-art equipment and current industry tools, so graduates leave confident, capable, and work-ready—often standing out to employers as soon as they enter the job market.
Advisor Committee
Alanna Munro
Type Designer
Alanna Munro is an independent type designer and lettering artist. She received a degree in communication design from Emily Carr in 2013 and after working for a few years as an interaction designer at Signals Design Group she started specializing in typographic projects. She began freelancing as a graphic designer while working on her own typefaces and launched her own type foundry in 2020. Alanna is passionate about accessible, well-made fonts and sharing typographic knowledge and literacy with everyone.
Candace Pawson
Senior Graphic Designer, Ion Brand Design
Candace completed her studies with a Visual Communications diploma and obtained her degree in the Graphic Design for Marketing program in 2017 from Kwantlen. She is a versatile and multi-disciplinary creative, specializing in branding, identity systems, and integrated marketing campaigns. Currently a senior graphic designer at Ion Design, Candace assumes a pivotal role in managing clients across various sectors, including provincial, municipal, non-profit, and hospitality.
Candace enjoys well crafted copywriting, uncovering thoughtful design concepts that revolve around storytelling and user experience and finds design challenges that create positive social and environmental change the most rewarding.
Originally from the Midwestern state of Iowa, Candace immigrated to British Columbia in 2013. In her leisure time, she cherishes time spent outdoors with her husband and their energetic twins.
Kim Ridgewell
Creative Director, If Communications
Kim is a multi-disciplinary creative, specializing in branding, identity and packaging design. She works with clients both big and small, and loves supporting entrepreneurs in creating and launching new brands and products. The One Show, Clios, ADCC, London International, Cannes, The Juno Awards, Communication Arts and Applied Arts have all recognized her work. Kim's ongoing participation in the creative industry includes speaking and presenting on designing for the future and volunteering for organizations that encourage equality and inclusivity in the creative industry.
When not at her desk, she can be found running up mountains or bobbing out at sea.
Patrick Ho
Copy Strategist, Dossier Creative
Patrick is an alumnus of Emily Carr’s graphic design program. After engaging with the discipline for over a decade, he found himself engaging mainly with words and storytelling. Over the ensuing years, that fusion of the visual and literary continues to inspire him to create brands for consumer products and services with a bunch of smart and talented people at Dossier, a brand and innovation design firm.
Perry Boeker
Principal & Marketing Strategist, Red Rocket Creative
A results-driven creative thinker. I am a creative industry vetran with a proven record of achievement in strategic planning, team leadership, and new concepts development. I understand that the market is a dynamic environment that constantly requires fine tuning, to keep the best brands relevant and topical. I have the good fortune to work with world leading companies and change agents who are making a difference. The people around me constantly inspire me to be better - every day. I lead by example with a hands-on approach, encourage a creative team spirit, and have the ability to effectively mobilize the right people to achieve team goals.
I am an avid sailor and Past Commodore of an international offshore sailing association and I love the outdoors.
Shinead D'Souza
Senior Art Director, Clio
Meet Shinead D'Souza, a Vancouver-based art director with a passion for creating impactful design experiences. As a leader in her field, Shinead is known for her exceptional eye for detail and her ability to bring big ideas to life. In her current role as Senior Art Director at Clio, Shinead manages the brand design team and is responsible for overseeing the design and art direction of high-quality, effective and data-driven brand and advertising initiatives.
Shinead is also an industry mentor who has worked with organizations like the RGD. Being a big believer in passing on knowledge to the next generation of up-and-comers, mentorship has become an integral part of her design practice. Shinead uses her experience to inspire and guide teams and designers towards producing the best work of their lives.
Outside of her work, Shinead enjoys being bossed around by her kiddo, taking her dog for long forest walks and trying out new flavours of potato chips.
Carol Aitken
Taylor Peters is a graphic designer currently working at Burnkit. Her focus there is (but not exclusively) website design. Her work ranges from conventional brand identities and website design to packaging design, illustration and printmaking. She has experience in both in-house and agency roles and has been freelancing on and off for the majority of her career since graduating from Red River College in 2019.
JP Holecka
CEO / Founder, POWER SHIFTER Digital
JP Holecka brings over three decades of multidisciplinary experience to the Wilson School of Design GDMA Advisory Committee, offering insights shaped by a career spanning design, digital innovation, film production, and entrepreneurship. As the founder and CEO of POWER SHIFTER, a digital product agency known for its human-centered and AI-enhanced approach, JP advises on industry trends, curriculum relevance, and the evolving skillsets needed in today’s creative economy. His neurodivergent perspective and passion for mentorship contribute to a more inclusive, forward-thinking design education.
Ryan Romero
Creative Director, Monday Creative Inc
Ryan Romero is currently the Creative Director at Monday Creative, an agency known for steering brands toward deeper, more resonant connections with their audiences in the Active, Outdoor, Wellness, Education, and Non-profit spaces. His roles have been about aligning creativity with purpose—not just directing creative development, but crafting narratives that move people and build culture. With a background shaped by partnerships with brands like adidas, KEEN, Arc’teryx, and lululemon, Ryan has learned that true performance is about weaving together story, strategy, and impact, making the work he and his teams do not just about moving the needle, but about furthering the clients’ vision, moving forward in lockstep with them. Ryan’s expertise spans regional and global marketing, encompassing strategy, branding initiatives, campaign development, art direction, and team leadership. His strategic mindset and focus on experience and education drive the development and execution of fully integrated campaigns, digital experiences, and design systems for industry-leading brands.