Break into AI & UX Design by shipping real company projects.

Work with real teams. Ship a live product. Graduate interview-ready.

Apprenticeship Program

DX01 is mentor-led sprint where you’ll co-build a live product with an industry partner and turn it into a hiring-ready case study.

🔸 Weekly lessons + live workshops
🔸 1-on-1 mentorship
🔸 Real client project experience

Apply to DX01
Only 15 spots left!

Does this sound like you?

No prior experience

You’re drowning in tutorials and blog posts but still don’t know how to run a project end-to-end.

Struggling with portfolio 

You need client work to build a portfolio—but need a portfolio to land clients. Classic catch-22.

Bootcamp Grad, Still Lost

The course ended, but real-world projects didn’t come with a syllabus. You need mentorship, not more modules.

Career Switcher

Your past experience is valuable, but hiring managers want proof you can deliver in UX—fast.

So, are you ready to....

Land your first UX role

Turn your live client project into a case study that recruiters flag as “must-interview.”

Stand out from the crowd

Real product impact + AI-driven UX chops put you ahead of 95 % of junior applicants.

Master the fundamentals

Learn core UX skills while shipping a real project.

Work alongside a mentor on real projects with real companies.

Learn UX by working on real design challenges for actual companies with hands-on mentorship, weekly feedback, and portfolio-ready results.

Here is what you will get

Real challenges

Work on a real product with a real business. No fake case studies, you’ll leave with a portfolio piece recruiters actually care about.

Weekly 1:1 Mentorship

Get personalized design feedback from industry mentors every week — no generic rubrics, just real advice on your real work.

Practical Weekly Learning

Every week, unlock short, practical lessons you can apply immediately.

Private community

Join a global community of designers and stay inspired through live classes.

Certification

Graduate with a DesignXP Certificate in UX/UI, backed by real-world project work and mentor sign-off — a credential you can confidently add to your portfolio.

Real companies, real challenges (Here’s a Taste)

Apprenticeship Spotlight
The Challenge

How might we improve trust in AI feedback for designers inside Figma?

During this apprenticeship, DesignXP participants will evaluate the onboarding and usage flow of Spec AI inside Figma. Apprentices will conduct usability audits, identify drop-off points, and design improved onboarding screens, empty states, and AI insight cards.

Spec.ai
Spec.ai
Apprenticeship Spotlight
The Challenge

How might we help UX teams turn messy research notes into clear, shareable insights using AI?

During this apprenticeship, DesignXP participants will support an ongoing ADUX Labs community project focused on building an AI-powered tool for synthesizing qualitative data. Apprentices will refine workflows, improve the user experience, and help gather real-world feedback through a live diary study

aduxlabs
aduxlabs
Apprenticeship Spotlight
The Challenge

How might we design a seamless, scalable design system for early-stage startups?

In this apprenticeship, DesignXP participants will collaborate with Monstrum—a design agency that turns complex ideas into intuitive experiences. Apprentices will help audit existing design systems, identify UX inconsistencies across web and product interfaces, and contribute to the creation of scalable UI components and design tokens. The goal: enable Monstrum’s startup clients to ship faster without sacrificing quality.

Monstrum
Monstrum

Learn live with industry experts.

Gabriel Reichelt

Gabriel Reichelt

Design Lead
Melissa Anne Morgan

Melissa Anne Morgan

Co-Founder & CEO / Freelance UX/UI, & Product Design
Ashitosh Hiremath

Ashitosh Hiremath

Product Designer
Annie Ma

Annie Ma

UX/UI Designer
Tejasvi Arora

Tejasvi Arora

UX Designer
Het Shah

Het Shah

Senior Product Designer
Kartik Dhaduk

Kartik Dhaduk

Senior Product Designer
Monique Lourenco Lopes

Monique Lourenco Lopes

Principal Product Designer
Gabriel Reichelt

Gabriel Reichelt

Design Lead
Melissa Anne Morgan

Melissa Anne Morgan

Co-Founder & CEO / Freelance UX/UI, & Product Design
Ashitosh Hiremath

Ashitosh Hiremath

Product Designer
Annie Ma

Annie Ma

UX/UI Designer
Tejasvi Arora

Tejasvi Arora

UX Designer
Het Shah

Het Shah

Senior Product Designer
Kartik Dhaduk

Kartik Dhaduk

Senior Product Designer
Monique Lourenco Lopes

Monique Lourenco Lopes

Principal Product Designer
HOW IT WORKS

Kick off your journey with designXP.

Your journey with DesignXP

1

Step 1: Join a Curated Cohort

Congrats! If accepted, you’ll join a small group of ~25 designers for focused support and hands-on growth from day one.

2

Step 2: Build Your UX Foundation (Weeks 1–5)

Learn the essentials through async lessons and live workshops. You’ll complete real exercises in research, wireframing, and UI — all designed to prep you for client work.

3

Step 3: Work with a Real Company (Weeks 6–12)

We’ll match you with a vetted business partner and a mentor. You’ll solve a real UX challenge with weekly check-ins, deadlines, and real feedback.

4

Step 4: Craft a Standout Case Study

Turn your project into a portfolio-ready story. We’ll help you document your process, showcase your thinking, and prepare it for recruiters.

5

Step 5: Launch with Confidence

Graduate with a polished case study, a DesignXP certificate, and clarity on how to apply, interview, and stand out in today’s UX job market.

6

Step 6: Stay Supported After Graduation

Even after the program ends, you’re not on your own. Get continued access to our private community, live office hours, and career resources — from portfolio updates to interview prep.

Meet your mentors.

Aadil Khan

UX Researcher @ IBM | Educator

Aadil is a UX researcher and designer with almost a decade of experience holding roles at IBM, The Bank of Montreal, & XE.com. He also is an award winning design mentor and currently teaches UX Design at the Toronto Metropolitan University. At DesignXP, he helps learners gain real-world experience and build standout portfolios.

Muhammad Jaffar

2x Founder | Design Leader

Muhammad is a design leader and founder of Monstrum (formerly Joypad), a studio that has driven over $500K in annual revenue by transforming complex ideas into high-impact digital products. With 40+ client partnerships and 20+ MVPs launched, his work blends creative direction with business strategy. He’s also built pathways for emerging designers—offering real-world experience, mentorship, and portfolio-ready projects. At DesignXP, Muhammad brings that same vision to the next generation of design talent.

testimonials

Hear is what people has said about the mentors

Karishma Shetty
Karishma Shetty
Austin, USA
Aadil is an outstanding mentor! His perspective(s) on tailoring my past experiences to UX were absolutely on point, and I greatly appreciate his input on my portfolio as well. He is extremely kind, approachable, and methodical with his feedback, and I would definitely recommend him as a mentor. Thank you so much for your time Aadil. Look forward to connecting with you again.
Nhi Tran
Nhi Tran
Ontario, Canada
Aadil was super approachable and comfortable to talk to. He provided realistic insight on his path into UXD and UXR, and gave insightful answers to all my questions and then some. I would highly recommend having a conversation with him.
Ameya Joshi
Ameya Joshi
Ontario, Canada
Aadil is a great mentor, very direct and offered clarity on processes for job search, portfolio and UX designer's role. He gave a lot of resources for UX research and improving the quality of work through continuous learning. He gave many practical tips and suggestions to get my UX career started. Thanks a lot Aadil!
Zoey Zaran
Zoey Zaran
Philadelphia, USA
Aadil was super approachable and provided valuable insight into leveraging my past experiences to transition into UX research roles. His advice was encouraging and constructive, and he provided actionable tips to refine my resume and portfolio. Highly recommend!
Jacqueline Baker
Jacqueline Baker
New Jersey, USA
Aadil was very honest and constructive with his advice towards how I can transition non-traditional digital designer roles into UX research roles in the future. He gave me realistic solutions and provided some insight as to how I can understand the UX maturity of companies I'm interviewing at.
Miranda Chab
Miranda Chab
Argentina
Aadil is a great mentor! He guided me at critical points based on his experience in trying to determine my career path. Also, he answered all my questions patiently and wisely, along with the thoughts and resources he conveyed.
Petra Kuehnle
Petra Kuehnle
Berlin, Germany
Aadil gave me concrete tips on how to best start at my new job as UX Researcher and shared specific UX methods and personal experiences. The advise was empathetic, practical and clear. Thank you!
Maryam Monalisa Gharavi🇺
Maryam Monalisa Gharavi🇺
New York City, USA
Aadil is an exceptional mentor. He was dynamic and very generous in sharing his approach to collaborative work in user research, presentation and interview practice, heterogeneous pathways to the field, and much more. His high level of motivation in offering peer-to-peer support is motivational in itself and any interlocutor would feel lucky to engage with the depth, veracity, and variety of his professional experience.
Mac Graham
Mac Graham
Ontario, Canada
It was a pleasure speaking with Aadil! During our session he offered some extremely useful guidance, insights, and resources that I'm sure will be of great use on my UX journey.

Choose your path to a UX career

Free community
$0
Explore resources and connect with peers — no cost, no pressure.
Starter Path
$199
Get access to curated learning paths, templates, and workshops — at your own pace.
UX Apprenticeship
$799
One-time
Your guaranteed path to portfolio-worthy experience — real projects, real mentorship, real outcomes.
Learning resources
Self-paced UX fundamentals course with practical exercises
Weekly design challenges and template access
Weekly live workshops and structured curriculum (12 weeks)
Mentorship and community
Access to our design community for feedback and networking
1:1 mentor sessions with professional UX designers
Appreticeship and job readiness
Guaranteed placement with a real company on an actual project
Portfolio case study development with expert guidance
Job application prep and interview coaching
Completion certificate from both us and your partner company
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to commonly asked questions.

Do I need prior UX experience to apply?

No prior experience is required! Our program is designed for beginners, career switchers, and early UX learners. We provide the foundational training and support you need to confidently take on real-world projects.

How much time should I expect to commit each week?

You should plan for 5–8 hours per week during the learning phase, and about 8–12 hours per week during the apprenticeship. Our program is flexible with asynchronous content, but there are deadlines to help you stay on track.

What if I’m not selected for the apprenticeship?

Everyone who enrolls in the full program will get access to an apprenticeship opportunity. If we’re unable to match you right away, you’ll be prioritized for the next cohort or project intake. In the meantime, you’ll still have access to live workshops, mentor feedback, and community support.

How does the matching process work?

After completing your core lessons, you’ll submit an intake form sharing your skills, interests, and preferred project types. We then match you with a real business partner based on project availability and your profile. Our team reviews every match to ensure a good fit.

Can I include this experience on my resume and LinkedIn?

Absolutely! You’ll be working on real-world projects with actual business outcomes. Many graduates feature this work as a primary case study in their portfolios and resumes—and we encourage you to do the same.

Is there a refund policy?

Yes — if you withdraw within the first 7 days of the cohort start date, you’re eligible for a full refund. After this period, the program is non-refundable due to the commitment we make to securing projects and mentor support for each participant.

What’s the difference between an apprenticeship and an internship?

An apprenticeship at DesignXP is a mentored, project-based learning experience. You’ll work on real projects for actual businesses, with guidance and feedback from experienced designers — but the primary goal is skill development and building a portfolio. An internship is typically a formal job with an employer, where you contribute as a junior team member. Internships often focus more on output for the company, while our apprenticeship is designed to help you learn, improve, and showcase your growth.

Ready to finally get real UX design experience?

No degree required. No gatekeeping. Just bring your determination and design passion.

Upcoming start date: August 4th, 2025
Limited to 25 spots per cohort.