last year i learnt how to design websites using Dreamweaver 7 and HTML. already, i plan to go and learn more about database management (Access, SQL, Oracle). apart from these, what else would i need to make me a competent designer?

Developer to say learn PHP/MYSQL to be a competent Web Developer or as ppl call it Programmer

I have hrd a lot of pple on this forum say "designer" as opposed to "developer". A designer to me is one who uses, say, photoshop, to come up with a graphical presentation of a site and then hands it over to a developer who turns the code into a functional website. I understand that given the country context, the way pple in naija name positions could be different from the way it is named elsewhere. If that is the case, I am not complaining. To each his own. Though I would advise otherwise.

To answer ur question based on my observations above:

To be web designer, learn: flash, photoshop, fireworks

To be a web developer, learn: php, jsp, xhtml, css, javascript, ajax, asp, . net, (u shd get the gist by now) etc.

I hope this helps.