From UX Student to Product Designer in 6 Months—And How I Did It for Free!
Ophelie Prada, Graduate
Product Designer at Engel & Völkers Tech
Product Design Program
with your Bildungsgutschein
Become a product designer
in 6 months
Get career coaching
to help you land a job
Work with expert mentors
and build your portfolio
Get a free
product design short course
Get a free
product design short course
Curious about this program?
Contact us to find out if it’s right for you
“How would you like to get in touch?”
“I’m here to help you become a product designer”
Alana, Senior Career Advisor
Curious about this program?
Contact us to find out if it’s right for you
“How would you like to get in touch?”
“I’m here to help you become a product designer”
Alana, Senior Career Advisor
Our graduates now have tech jobs all over the world
Currently unemployed? Registered in Germany?
You could be eligible to take our Product Design Program for free
CareerFoundry’s Product Design Program has been officially certified by DEKRA, which means you can take the program free of charge with a Bildungsgutschein.
Not sure what a Bildungsgutschein is?
A Bildungsgutschein is an educational voucher issued by the German Employment Agency (the Agentur für Arbeit). If you’re unemployed and officially registered in Germany, a Bildungsgutschein will enable you to learn new, in-demand skills for free.
Read on to discover how you can use the Bildungsgutschein to become a fully-fledged product designer in a matter of months with the CareerFoundry Product Design Program!
Product Design Program details
In this program, you will
Learn all of the skills, tools, and processes necessary to become a product designer
Work 1:1 with an expert mentor and tutor, who will give personalized feedback and insight into the daily life of a product designer
Receive tailored coaching from our Career Services Team to ensure you stand out at interviews
Build an impressive portfolio out of the real‑world projects you complete
Land a job as a product designer with the help of our Career Specialists
Fully online
5.2 months at 40 hrs/week or 10.6 months at 20 hrs/week
Mentorship
Our design mentors are rated 4.94/5
Career support
Job Preparation Course and expert career coaching included
Why become a product designer?
A creative and diverse job you will love
Product designers wear multiple hats and enjoy incredible variety in their work. By blending thoughtful design with data-driven insights, they collaborate effectively across teams, balancing both strategic and creative work.
High demand in every industry
Designers are a permanent staple of tech and product designers are in high demand, with the product design and development services market valued at $9.4 billion and growing.
A flexible career path
As a product designer, you will have the opportunity to work for startups, agencies and large corporates, or on a freelance basis. It’s also a great career choice for work-life balance, with many remote and hybrid positions available.
Why choose CareerFoundry?
Human-centric learning
Our Dual Mentorship Model ensures that you’ll get all the support you need throughout the program. You’ll be assigned a tutor—an experienced product designer responsible for evaluating your exercises within 24 hours of submission—and a mentor, who’ll provide you with detailed feedback on your portfolio pieces.
Flexibility with accountability
Study full-time for 5.2 months (40 hours/week) or part-time for 10.6 months (20 hours/week). Your mentor, tutor, student advisor, and career specialist will help you stay on track.
Successful, satisfied graduates
With over 90% of our eligible graduates landing a job within their new field, including at top companies like Google, Apple and Amazon, you can be confident that the Product Design Program will get you where you want to go: working as a product designer in a job that you love.
Success Stories
Our students go on to launch challenging new careers in the tech industry
How Susana Made a Career Change From Nursing to Product Design
Susana Roque Nunes, Graduate
Product Designer at Mercedes-Benz.io
Read story
Career Change From HR: How Anjali Became a UX Designer
Anjali Maurya, Graduate
UX Designer at Crealytics
Read story
How I Became a UI Designer—And Studied at CareerFoundry for Free!
Tess Motherway, Graduate
UI Designer at Springer Nature
Read story
Letters To My Former Self: Julian's Career Change Story
Julian Gerdes, Graduate
Account Manager at TLGG
Read story
Why Positivity Is Key For A Successful Career Change Into UX Design
Flora Kiss, Graduate
Product Designer at EasyPeasy UK
Read story
Portfolio projects
Our graduates now work at...
What do you need to take the Product Design Program with a Bildungsgutschein?
What you need:
You may be eligible for a Bildungsgutschein (training voucher from the Agentur für Arbeit) if you are currently unemployed or facing the possibility of unemployment. You'll also need:
Proof of residency in Germany
The Bildungsgutschein program is only available for German residents who are in possession of their Anmeldebescheinigung (proof that you are registered and living in Germany).
Time to dedicate weekly to the program
You'll need to dedicate 20 hours per week if you are doing the program part-time, or 40 hours per week if you are doing the program full-time.
An interest in product design
If you are already reading books and blog posts about product design, that’s a great sign! If you are unsure about whether product design is really for you, you can find out in the following ways:
Take our free product design short course
Learn about the difference between product design and UX design
Get a free consultation with one of our program advisors who’ll offer you personalized advice based on your interests and goals.
Written and spoken English skills at a level B1.2 or higher
A computer (macOS, Windows, or Linux) with a webcam, microphone, and an internet connection
What you don’t need:
A background in design or tech
This program is designed to take you from beginner to job-ready—regardless of your background. And now more than ever, employers see bootcamp graduates as excellent job candidates. A 2021 study by Career Karma found that companies as respected as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are some of the largest employers of bootcamp graduates. The same study revealed that, in 2020, those same companies hired up to 120% more bootcamps graduates than they did in 2019!
Unlimited free time
You can study part-time at a pace of 20 hours per week to finish the program in 10.6 months. You can also complete the program in under 6 months by committing 40 hours per week.
To learn all on your own
You can enjoy the flexibility of online learning with the accountability and one-on-one attention traditionally associated with brick-and-mortar institutions. Much like a college professor might inspire you to pursue a career in a certain field, your mentor, tutor, career specialist, and student advisor will keep you motivated and on track.
To lose your unemployment benefits
While taking the Product Design Program with a Bildungsgutschein, you are still entitled to receive your unemployment benefits.
How to take our Product Design Program
with a Bildungsgutschein
Next start dates
I don’t have a Bildungsgutschein
How to apply for a BildungsgutscheinI already have a Bildungsgutschein
How to enroll in the CareerFoundry program1
Schedule an appointment with the Agentur für Arbeit
If you haven’t been in touch with the job center before, you can find your local center simply by searching online, e.g. “Agentur für Arbeit Berlin” or “Agentur für Arbeit near me”. Once you’ve made an appointment, you’ll be assigned an advisor.
2
Prepare for your appointment at the Agentur für Arbeit
Use our full application guide to prepare for your appointment at the Agentur für Arbeit and convince your advisor to approve your participation in the program. It covers the documents you need for the appointment.
Download our guide:
Request your personal proposal from CareerFoundry. You might have to provide this document to the Agentur für Arbeit. It only takes a few minutes!
Any questions?
We’re here to help! Get in touch with one of our program advisors.
1
Enroll in the CareerFoundry program
The Agentur für Arbeit has issued you a Bildungsgutschein—congratulations!
Now you can begin the enrollment process. Simply press the "Start the process" button and we'll notify you about the next steps.
It takes 10-14 days to complete the enrolment process, so please bear this in mind when choosing your program start date.
Any questions?
We’re here to help! Get in touch with one of our program advisors.
FAQ
1. What is a Bildungsgutschein?
A Bildungsgutschein is an educational voucher provided by the Agentur für Arbeit/Job Center for people who are unemployed or soon to be unemployed. It is a document that entitles the recipient to complete further educational training, paid for by the German government. A Bildungsgutschein is not a guaranteed benefit; the Agentur für Arbeit/Job Center is not obliged to grant one to all applicants. In order to receive an educational voucher, interested parties must meet certain requirements and only the Agentur für Arbeit/Job Center is allowed to decide on the eligibility of each individual.
2. Is CareerFoundry entitled to offer programs with a Bildungsgutschein?
All providers who wish to offer programs with an educational voucher (Bildungsgutschein) on behalf of the Agentur für Arbeit (employment agency) must first undergo a rigorous certification process in order to check the quality of the programs offered. Only then are they included in the Agentur für Arbeit's official list of course providers (New Plan).
CareerFoundry has successfully completed this process in accordance with the guidelines set out by AZAV (Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung—Accreditation and Licensing Regulation for Employment Promotion), and, as a DEKRA-certified educational provider, is permitted to accept educational vouchers in accordance with AZAV.
3. How can I get a Bildungsgutschein?
In order to receive a Bildungsgutschein, you need to make an appointment with your local Agentur für Arbeit/Job Center so that they can check whether you meet all the necessary requirements. You will be assigned a contact person who will check whether or not you are eligible for a Bildungsgutschein. You can find your local Agentur für Arbeit via a quick Google search. Simply type in your city and “Agentur für Arbeit”.
4. How do I know if I am eligible for a Bildungsgutschein?
CareerFoundry cannot legally advise on eligibility. You need to approach your nearest Agentur für Arbeit/Job Center in order to discuss your personal case with someone from that institution. They will tell you if you meet the criteria for a Bildungsgutschein.
5. Do you have a Maßnahmennummer (course number) you can provide me with?
The official course numbers for our certified programs are:
Product Design Program, full-time (6 months): 922/184/2024, valid from 15.04.2024 to 14.04.2027
Product Design Program, part-time (10.6 months): 922/183/2024, valid from 15.04.2024 to 14.04.2027
6. What are the differences between the programs for private customers and students with a Bildungsgutschein?
In terms of quality, there is no difference between the programs offered to private customers and the programs offered to students with a Bildungsgutschein. However, the programs offered via the Agentur für Arbeit do not include specialization courses due to time constraints. Students with a Bildungsgutschein tend to take the program on a full-time basis (40 hours per week) and have less flexibility in terms of time, as online attendance is compulsory. Please consider that there is also no money-back guarantee for students with an educational voucher.
7. What are the prerequisites and requirements for the program?
This program is designed with the absolute beginner in mind. Meaning, there are no prerequisites or prior experience in design or tech required.
Regardless of age or background, we’ve built a learning experience to ensure your success. From the catered curriculum and hands-on exercises to one-on-one mentorship and support throughout.
What’s required*:
- Proof of residency in Germany
- Time to dedicate weekly to the program
- Interest in product design
- Written and spoken English proficiency at a B1.2 level or higher
- A computer (macOS, Windows, or Linux) with a webcam, microphone, and an internet connection
8. Which tools will I use and what are the costs?
For the Intro to Product Design Course and the Product Design Immersion Course, you’ll mainly use Figma. As a CareerFoundry student, you’ll qualify for free access to the Figma Professional Plan.
You will also be using other tools to help you refine your designs. These tools will be available with a free trial or with a discount, which can be found on CareerFoundry’s Perks page.
9. What are the minimum system requirements?
As this varies widely, we recommend checking individual system requirements on Figma's website.
How would you like us to contact you?
Book a time to speak with a program advisor
Send us a message
What questions do you have about the program? We're happy to help.
Thank you!
Our program advisor will be in touch with you shortly.
Want to know if product design
is right for you?
Find out with a free 5-day email short course.
Thanks!
Curious about this program?
Contact us to find out if it’s right for you
“How would you like to get in touch?”
“I’m here to help you become a product designer”
Alana, Senior Career Advisor