Stepping stone to university for digital media graduate

It's often an uphill battle to pursue your dreams but for Information Communication Technology graduate Danny McKenna, the skills and experience gained at Kangan Institute made the journey very much easier!

As part of our Certificate IV and Diploma of Interactive Digital Media, the thirty-seven year old mastered 2D and 3D graphics software skills and produced a professional folio of work, which he then used to gain entry into the competitive Bachelor of Arts, Animation and Interactive Media program at RMIT University.

"Having the experience from Kangan Institute has been a great advantage for me," he said. "There's no way I could have achieved entry into RMIT without my Kangan produced folio and skillset; it really is quite a rigorous entry process into the course that demands a fair level of skill and dedication."

The supportive nature of teaching and wide range of training resources available at Kangan Institute also made a difference to Danny's overall learning journey. "The relaxed atmosphere at Kangan campuses, along with its skilled and experienced staff and professional resources, were an amazing opportunity and benefit to me," he said. "And in contrast to the RMIT course, Kangan courses were very easy to apply for and much cheaper too!"

Danny, who is also a session musician, is planning to make full use of the flexible nature of the digital media industry by pursuing freelance digital media work whilst playing music. "I wish to further develop my skills and folio so that on completion of the Bachelor of Arts, Animation and Interactive Media, I can sustain a coalescent career with music and digital media," he said.

"Ultimately I think this will mean continuing to tour and record, whilst working freelance and doing contract work for film, television, or advertising as a digital designer, modeller or animator." When asked if he had any advice for aspiring digital media students, Danny highlighted that staying abreast of industry trends, networking and hard work was instrumental to success.

"The digital media realm is constantly evolving, so study, networking and research are of utmost importance to keep up with software updates and Industry progression," he shared. "And be prepared for long hours of work, not the shiny final piece straight away. The animations and effects we see in films today are the work of thousands of people all working for months on small elements each."

Kangan Institute offers a full suite of digital media training options including the Certificate IV in Interactive Digital Media, Certificate I to III in Information, Digital Media and Technology and the Certificate III in Media, with many graduates moving on to higher level studies or pursuing exciting careers starting with our Work Integrated Learning programs. We wish Danny all the best in his future endeavours.