Russian Immigrants: Education Is the Only Way Out
Even in small-town America, you can build a wonderful career — if you want it badly enough. How? Read the story from our correspondent Angela Ruslanova.
My friend amazes me. She has no parents in America, no husband — she is raising her daughter entirely on her own. Yet she always has money, and not just for the bare essentials.
Three years ago she gave birth and lost her job all at once. It seemed like that would be the end of her financial stability. But it wasn’t. She began studying graphic and web design remotely, over the Internet. Before long she had risen to the top of her class, and her instructors began assigning her real client orders. Between walks with the stroller, she was designing advertisements and brochures, building websites for clients — and practically the moment she graduated, she landed a job.
But what about the baby? That is precisely the point — she works for a large company without ever leaving home. She lives in a small town in California where work for multimedia designers — her specialty — is almost nonexistent. But she sent her resume and portfolio samples to dozens of companies over the Internet, and one of them hired her. I watched all of this happen with my own eyes, and I decided that her experience was something our readers needed to hear about. So here is Svetlana, in her own words.
Angela: How did you find out about this opportunity?
Svetlana: Through friends, I heard that there was a school in Toronto teaching computer graphics and web design over the Internet. My friends are programmers, and they explained to me that it is a relatively new field with strong demand — and that demand will only grow, because people are buying more and more online. They also pointed out that even during economic downturns, designers stay busy — companies actually increase their orders for advertisements, brochures, and marketing materials during slow periods.
Angela: Wait — what exactly is a multimedia designer?
Svetlana: It is someone who creates websites and works in computer graphics. Once a website is built, the designer does not simply walk away — they continuously update the content as the company’s products, services, and information change. That ongoing work is what generates a steady income. Beyond websites, you can also design newspaper and magazine layouts, work in publishing houses, print shops, and advertising agencies, and create all kinds of marketing materials.
Angela: Is it interesting work?
Svetlana: Very much so. At its core, it is an artist’s work — but done on a computer. The same palette of colors, the same creative thinking — but you do not need to know how to draw. Good taste and solid training are enough. It is a profession for people with a humanities background, and really for anyone who cannot stand monotony. The pay is decent too, even at the entry level. And it is clean, comfortable work — in a warm office or at home, with a cup of tea nearby.
Angela: How does online learning actually work?
Svetlana: I studied for one year. The tuition is quite affordable — accessible even for someone who has recently arrived in America or is working a low-paying job. Textbooks for each program, CDs with image libraries, and interactive tutorial discs were all sent to me free of charge. I received a steady stream of assignments over the Internet, along with a great deal of support through the study materials. One of the best things about this school is that you can always reach your instructors — someone is always available to consult with you. Every student is assigned a personal mentor, and there are designated days and hours each week when you can call them directly.
Angela: Do the instructors speak Russian?
Svetlana: Yes. The director of the School of Computer Design — New Image School — is a fellow Russian speaker, and he works with a range of instructors, including Russian-speaking ones. The level of this school genuinely impresses me. I now have enough professional experience to judge whether my education was sound — and it was not just sound, it was excellent. The school’s director, Pavel Ilyashenko, has a rare and exceptional educational background. He graduated from the Department of Book and Easel Graphics at the Ukrainian Printing and Publishing Institute — one of only two such institutions in the entire Soviet Union. Alongside the arts, he studied highly specialized subjects: printing technology, various methods of reproduction, types of printing presses and how they operate. He has extensive practical experience, and he shared with us the kind of knowledge you simply cannot find in any textbook.
Angela: Did employers have any concerns about your diploma being from a Russian-Canadian school?
Svetlana: It never came up, not once. I work for a large company remotely, and I take on additional freelance projects on the side. No one has ever said anything negative about my education. In our profession, the hiring process is actually quite straightforward — they sit you down at a computer and ask you to show what you can do. In my case it was even simpler than that. By the end of the program, every student has accumulated a body of finished work — advertisements, brochures, websites created as part of course assignments. So you have something concrete to show an employer. You send your resume and include a link to your online portfolio. If they like what they see, they hire you. There are also placement agencies that help designers find work online — and the school helped me connect with them.
Angela: What specifically did you study?
Svetlana: Eight computer programs, advertising design, the principles of composition, typography, color theory, and much more. In the end I received not only a technical education, but an artistic one as well.
Angela: Did other graduates find work quickly too?
Svetlana: We kept in touch by email. Imagine — an 18-year-old girl, a brand-new immigrant named Vika Lappo, who had been working in a café selling pastries. Two months after graduating, she landed a position at a major company — and she was recently promoted. Her work is featured on the school’s website. Another graduate had been a civil engineer back home and knew absolutely nothing about computers — she trained, and found a job within six weeks. There was also a young man who had been a truck driver before the school — he is now working as a graphic and web designer.
Angela: Why did you turn to a Canadian school? Are there no similar options in America?
Svetlana: Here in America it is very expensive, and I could not find a truly specialized school. Most programs teach a little bit of everything, with design as just one component. I wanted to go deep into this one specialty — to become a genuine professional, not someone with a surface-level understanding of many things. And the schools that do focus exclusively on multimedia design charge extraordinary prices. On top of that, I could not find anyone offering Internet-based instruction — let alone in Russian. Another important factor was that Pavel Ilyashenko works with a Canadian publishing house and provides students with real client assignments, which means that by the time you graduate, you have an actual portfolio of completed work.
I took down the phone number of the School of Computer Design from Svetlana: 1-416-661-2732 — that is the Toronto number. She also gave me the school’s website, explaining that students have their own password and can access pages not visible to the general public — pages with assignments, design tutorials, and course materials. The website is www.newimageschool.com.
I called the school’s director to learn more about how widespread online learning was and who exactly his students were.
“Our school has students from various provinces across Canada, as well as from Russia, Ukraine, France, Poland, Iran, India, and of course the United States,” Pavel Ilyashenko told me. “One of my students lives in Memphis and works as a sales clerk. Another is a waitress in Chicago. Both women are educated — their professions simply do not pay well in America. They complete their assignments diligently, and I already know they are going to do well.”
When I called, Pavel had just been reading a letter from a young man in a small town in Argentina who had recently begun studying with him online. He read the letter aloud to me, and at my request, forwarded it as well. Here is what our fellow immigrant wrote — I am sharing an excerpt:
“I have only moments to spare — I simply cannot call you. I am at work and I am afraid: I need to run the 200 meters home without a bullet in my head. Thirty minutes ago, martial law and a curfew were declared in our city. My wife is at home in tears right now. We are afraid of what may happen. She is a local, and I am a foreigner — which means I came here and took work away from locals. Please forgive me if you do not receive completed assignments from me for the next two weeks. With respect, Andrei and Viviana. Argentina.”
“People who study under conditions like these deserve a monument in their own lifetime,” Pavel remarked quietly.
And I thought to myself — Sveta and Andrei from Argentina are cut from the same cloth. Whether stranded in small-town America with a baby in her arms, or living under the threat of violence in Argentina, these people do not sit still, do not complain, and do not give up. They do everything in their power to turn their situation around and catch their lucky break. And Sveta has already caught hers. You should see the expression on her face.
