Where do web designers fit in the world of template driven sites??

It's very hard to find a job as a web designer in my opinion but it's great fun and very easy to learn. Just start of by learning the basics of HTML&CSS so you get the concept out of it, Photoshop is always a good to have knowledge of as well, also its good because you were out looking for creating logos/designs.

As a web designer you also look out for UI (User Interface). You help the site get more comfortable for users to browse at. You give suggestion for improvement and feedback

Good luck :)

Most startups, medium to large businesses, and any sized business in a creative field will invest money into a custom design and not use a template. I've worked at an ad agency, and I hire designers for my own project, so I can tell you that there is still plenty of demand for designers. I see full time job openings for designers in my local area all the time. IMO there are 2 primary factors in getting a design job:

1. Are you good? One of the most important qualities in a creative professional is the ability to self-evaluate your skills and artistic ability. Many designers I have come across just aren't that great from an artistic perspective. It's important to be able to assess the quality of your work compared to other designers because if you are behind the competition you can focus on being an expert in CSS and front end code to augment your design skills.

2. Be an expert in CSS and HTML. If you can design a site AND deliver that design as quality HTML and CSS then your job prospects just went through the roof.