A survey was carried out to determine whether the way Design is taught at secondary and university level in the UK, adequately prepares pupils who choose to pursue a career in design and then to determine ways that it could be improved. A survey was completed with 13 participants, studying design at university, to discover from their perspective what skills were being taught and what skills they thought would benefit them to learn in more depth prior to university. The survey, moreover, contained a couple of questions targeted at participants who had undertaken some time out in industry to determine what advance information they felt would have been of benefit before their time in industry. This information combined with 3 interviews with current design graduates working in industry, was aimed at providing a view of what was required from the design industry. Of the participants who had spent time in industry, 100% of them felt better communication between industry and the education system would lead to better designers. 85% felt that design specific skills and the process of how to design needed to be taught in more depth. The major areas included in this were the ability to sketch and therefore express ideas better, CAD skills, and the ability to use programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator to display ideas. These were all areas that students felt had they learnt them at secondary school in more depth, or at all, would have aided them during study for their university degree. Next were the additional skills that the 3 design graduates and 12 placement students felt would have been beneficial to learn. It was also felt that enhanced experience of Photoshop and Illustrator at university would have made the introduction to some jobs easier, and that rather than it be taught as part of the syllabus currently they had to learn it themselves. The other main point was that better overall business skills and business understanding would have been highly beneficial. This included the ability to present ideas, both orally and on paper, brainstorming skills, teamwork and the ability to cost ideas.