Learning Web Design from scratch

[JungleGuru]

I am at a career crossroads ATM. I am in the process of applying for a funding grant, for up to £2500, for materials, courses to further or develop a new career. A lot of my friends say that I'm really good with computers, & are often tell me they are stunned with my knowledge, though I would say myself that I have average working knowledge of Windows based software.

So I have been considering getting Microsoft certified. I have been researching this the last few days, & there just seems like way too many specialisations, & none of them look all that interesting. It is very hard too choose a path to go down, & I have less than two weeks to decide what to study, how to study it & where. I also need to get a number of different quotes for the application too.

After talking with a film student mate of mine last night, I decided that maybe web-design might be a good path to take. I am interested more in the graphic design aspect of it than the coding, but appreciate that learning coding is essential.

So where is the best place to start for a complete beginner?

From speaking to my mate & googling the subject, I gather one option is too learn the basics / foundations such as HTML, (X)HTML & CSS, then move on to Dreamweaver, Photoshop & JavaScript.

Is this the best route to take to learn web-design for a full time career?

Once you have the skill set, & a small portfolio, is it easy to make lucrative career as an independent web designer, or is it best to gain a few years experience with a web design company?

Should I learn Photoshop & Dreamweaver, alongside HTML & CSS or should I learn HTML & CSS first?

Do I need to learn (X)HTML alongside HTML too? What about HTML5?

Is there a high demand for people with such skills in the current economic climate?

Are there any colleges near central London or Southwark that any of you can recommend to study any of these Tools / Languages?

Can I get certified in Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS, Flash, JavaScript & Photoshop?

The average salary for someone with a good working knowledge and experience of HTML, CSS & Dreamweaver in London according too itjobswatch.co.uk, seems to be about £35,000, is this a good approximation?

University is not an option, as the funding cannot be used for that, but F/t & P/t college courses, as well as materials for studying from home is.
Sorry about all the questions, but I need answers from someone with firsthand experience working in the industry, or independently.

 

[Prisoner]

Note: I don't work in the web industry, but I'm throwing out suggestions for you for what I do know.

From speaking to my mate & googling the subject, I gather one option is too learn the basics / foundations such as HTML, (X)HTML & CSS, then move on to Dreamweaver, Photoshop & JavaScript.

Is this the best route to take to learn web-design for a full time career?

Yes. Learn HTML and CSS, it'll be very beneficial to have knowledge of those for web design. I don't think you need to know JavaScript for the job, though, so you might be able to skip that without any problems.

Once you have the skill set, & a small portfolio, is it easy to make lucrative career as an independent web designer, or is it best to gain a few years experience with a web design company?

From what I've heard, it's rather tough being a freelancer, but some say the benefits outweigh the burdens. Read this, might help you figure out what to expect before you pursue your choice.

Should I learn Photoshop & Dreamweaver, alongside HTML & CSS or should I learn HTML & CSS first?

Do I need to learn (X)HTML alongside HTML too? What about HTML5?

In my personal opinion, I don't think you need to learn xHTML. But HTML5, you want to know. That's what your sites are going to be developed in, so you might want to get into it.
Also in my personal opinion, learn DW and PS alongside HTML and CSS, as your work's going to be in a WYSIWYG editor more than anything. You won't need to crank anything out in Notepad.

 

[z3r010]

Honestly find something else to do because it's far more cost effective to hire a talented 3rd world design team than one UK/US designer.