Graphic Design instructor, Miguel Suarez at his home office in Toronto
Miguel Suarez began teaching Herzing's graphic design program in 2017. But his passion for art and design began much earlier, when he was a teenager growing up in the Philippines.
Updated November 2025
Architects design structures for residential, commercial, and industrial use. Architectural drafters create the construction drawings needed to bring those new buildings to life.
But sometimes drafters also consult with clients and develop design concepts. And sometimes architects do their own construction drawings.
So what is the big difference between an architect and an architectural drafter (also known as a CAD technician)?
Updated December 2025
We’ve been offering an interior design program at Herzing for several years now. When we put together the curriculum, we looked very closely at hiring trends and the specific skills employers are looking for in new designers.
What kinds of companies are hiring interior designers? What creative and technical skills are most in demand right now? Who is hiring our graduates?
Updated December 2025
Graphic design is probably one of the most misunderstood fields out there. Every year, we meet with students who are interested in applying to this program—but only a few truly understand what a graphic designer does or what it's really like to work in this field.
For one thing, there are a lot more job options than most people realize. And the skillset for graphic designers is quite a bit more complex and technical than you might think.
The interior design students we work with at Herzing are an incredibly diverse group, coming from different backgrounds and all ages. Some are recent high school graduates, others are working parents, and quite a few are international students.
Updated December 2025
Building design is a competitive field. There are plenty of colleges producing architectural designers each year and only so many design firms and construction companies available to hire them.
How do you position yourself as a competitive job candidate and get your career off to a strong start?
Updated December 2025
Do you need a university degree to be taken seriously as a graphic designer? Can you avoid school altogether and just teach yourself the basics?
What about free graphic design courses you can find online—isn’t that the best option for an up-and-comer who doesn’t want college debt?
Graphic design is one of those fields where there are no clear rules on how to start a career. Some professions—like doctor or lawyer or licensed teacher—have very clear pathways for training. You must go to university. You must get certified. It’s not negotiable.
Becoming a graphic designer is a little different. There’s endless debate between self-taught and schooled designers, and whether formal training is really “worth it”.
But the truth is, with the growing complexity of design software and digital technology, many designers need formal training to stay ahead of the curve.
Dorian Pai enrolled in Herzing's Building Design Technician program when he discovered his architecture degree was too theory-based to get him hired.
Dorian needed practical knowledge of the Ontario Building Code and design software to be taken seriously as a job applicant and break into the architecture field.
Like so many other students, he was looking for fast, affordable training that delivered job-ready skills. Did Herzing measure up?
Examples of architectural renderings done by Albino Jr Geanga
Albino Jr Geanga immigrated to Canada several years ago, hoping to start a career in building design.
But even though he already had an architecture degree from the Philippines, he couldn't get hired without additional training in Canadian building codes and specifications.
Albino decided to take the Building Design Technician program at Herzing College Toronto. He graduated in 2018 and has successfully re-launched his career here in Canada.
We interviewed Albino to learn more about his story, and find out what he thought of Herzing's building design program.
He told us about the skills he learned, his experience in class, and the design jobs he got after graduation.
He also shared some great advice for new students who want to start careers in building design. Here are the highlights from our interview.
Image courtesy of Zaneen, where Ikenna works as a lighting designer/tester
Would you ever guess that a building design graduate could end up specializing in high-end lighting design and quality testing?
Meet Ikenna Okpara. Ikenna is a perfect example of how diverse the field of design truly is—and the many (unexpected) things you can do with a building design diploma.
