Eyeweb
Unplugged:

1. Starting Early: What Did You Want to Do at 13?

At 13, you’re still figuring yourself out. But schools often expect you to make choices that could shape your whole future. Picking GCSE subjects might feel like just ticking boxes at the time, but for some, it ends up steering the direction of their career. For others, not so much.

That was the starting point for this episode. The team chatted about what they thought they wanted to do at 13, and whether that lined up with where they are now. Most of the time, the answer was no. But looking back, the common thread is that those early interests still played a part. Even if it took years to realise.

One person said they always liked designing things. They didn’t know exactly what kind of job that would lead to, but they were drawn to anything visual. At school, computers were limited. The internet was still in its early days. There weren’t many design courses around. But the spark was there.

2. No Clear Route and That’s Okay

Like a lot of people growing up in the early days of the web, the idea of working in design or tech wasn’t always obvious. One of the team ended up on a computer science course at university. It turned out to be a lot more technical than expected, and not what they wanted at all.

Another tried a few different university courses and found they just didn’t click. The push from school was always towards higher education, but that route doesn’t suit everyone. Some left uni early. Some didn’t go at all. And yet, they still ended up in careers they enjoy.

One key moment came from designing posters for school events. That hands-on experience, even at a young age, was often the first taste of real design work. It was never formal training, just doing something for fun or because someone asked. But it stuck.

3. Learning by Doing

One of the biggest themes in this conversation was learning on the job. From creating early websites in Dreamweaver to picking up coding skills through Myspace, it was less about formal education and more about being curious.

In one case, that curiosity led to running a website that shared design snippets and code for other people to use. It wasn’t a business. It was just about being creative and experimenting. But it was the foundation for a career in design that’s now spanned over a decade.

Elsewhere, someone started by working for a small design agency, then moved on to building websites for football clubs, and eventually launched a business with a friend. One person focused on the creative side and the other handled sales. Over time, the business grew, and confidence came with it.

4. From Hobby to Career

A big part of staying in this kind of work is enjoying it outside of your nine-to-five. Whether it’s designing for local events, putting together branding for personal projects, or just experimenting with visuals, that passion tends to show up in different ways.

For one person, that meant continuing to design for things like running events or festivals. For another, it meant being able to give design feedback to the rest of the team, even if they weren’t doing the day-to-day work anymore.

That long-standing interest in design helps build empathy with clients and users too. Because when you care about how something looks or functions, you also think about how people are going to experience it. It’s not just about ticking boxes. It’s about making something that feels right.

5. Not Everyone Has a Straight Path

Some people know exactly what they want to do from a young age and follow a clear route. Others don’t. What came through in this episode is that both are valid.

Whether you started out working in retail or jumped straight into design courses, your path is your own. One person talked about being pushed into university twice and leaving both times. It didn’t work for them. But the interest in design stayed. And eventually, it led somewhere that felt like a good fit.

Another shared how their teenage years spent customising social profiles sparked a deeper interest in code and visuals. That eventually led to a BTEC in design, a degree, and a job that turned into a career.

For some, it was about doing what felt right in the moment. Saying yes to opportunities. Learning new things. Building confidence slowly. And for many, it was never really about planning the perfect route. It was about figuring it out one step at a time.