Group Tutorial Prep 01

What is professional / industrial experience?

- At its simplest, exposure to the industry or a professional practice. A one day visit or placement that helps you to understand how people work; the design process in a working environment. The designer/client relationship could also be a part of this. An agency internship or one day visit to a printers could both be relevant.

- Working on a live brief. Visualising and understanding REAL considerations within the design process. Preparation for print, costs for the client and their budget, format and limitations on colour. The fact that deadlines are real and what the consequences might be for not working within them.

- Attending events where your work is exposed to the industry. The D&AD awards is a prime example of this. This notion could also include exhibiting your work in a rented or offered space.

- Working freelance and completing work on your own accord. This could be either voluntary or paid. Raising awareness that Graphic Design is your profession and what you do for a living.

- Communicating with personnel within the professional and creative industry. Asking questions and making yourself known. Whether it be by email, letter, phone call or personal visit... they are all relevant.


Why is professional / industrial experience important as part of PPD?

- By engaging with industry aspects now, you are given an advanced knowledge and a 'heads-up' of what to expect once you graduate. A head start in this area will always be useful. Ask questions now when the help is there to support you.

- It allows you to start making a name for yourself. Creating a noise or a stir within the industry. Getting your name known so you can begin to build up a relationship with companies, agencies and potential clients.

- Through gaining an understanding of how things work within industry you will then be able to deter where your practice may sit within that/ Even if you have a bad experience, the realisation may be that a certain area of the industry is not for you.

- As a result of working/experiencing real life environments where work is paid for and time is money, you could get a perspective of how much to charge for your work and how much work to take on. Topics of interest that are hard to get to grips with unless you can see it for yourself first hand.

- By speaking to the right people and knowing where to look, a head start with industry links may help you network with companies and potential clients. This way, getting started with your practice from graduation could become slightly easier and more free flowing.


How do you gain professional / industrial experience and what forms does it take?

- Contact and pester agencies of interest. Email, phone or personally visit. Ask questions and be interested but not annoying. Engage with relevant industry links through self motivation as people won't search for you. You have to search for them.

- Through carrying out the above you could get your foot in the door with a simple design related question. From here you may have the opportunity to ask for a convenient day to visit or perhaps even a one or two week placement. The best outcome may be an internship that could potentially lead to a job. A good example of this is Ken pestering Creative Review. He now has a 4 month internship.

- Exposure via exhibiting your work can generate interest and lead to potential placements or internships. Jimmy gained interest from Sea Design Agency by attending the D&AD awards 2009. He now has a full time job at an established, London based firm.

- Working on live or competition briefs could get your work some exposure within the professional environment. YCN, Don't Panic and the recent Electronic Poet briefs are all good examples of this. What's more, if the work is successful it could make for a perfect portfolio piece to take to interview.

-Completing freelance work or even working collaboratively with friends in other professions could increase self promotion in the sense that it would assist in producing a portfolio or work that is being used within real life industries. This could only be good for interview or internship applications.


What should you aim to gain from professional/industrial experience?

- An understanding of how people work within the industry. How a design process comes together and even what constitutes a so called 'design process'.

- An understanding of a designer/client relationship. How one works with the other and the considerations that need to be addressed. Client budget, time limitation and ethical perspectives are all part of this. Political views as well.

- Knowing where and how to be seen. How to make a name for yourself and how to create a stir within the creative industry. A lot of this could be focussed on how to self promote. What and where is relevant to your design practice. What assists in building a steady client base and a good working relationship with industry links and agencies.

- The knowledge of how to develop a strong work ethic. How much work to take on and when. Does seasons impact upon your practice or in-coming job types? The costs you should incur and how much you need to live on through your profession.

- An idea of available contacts and networking. Knowing who to get in touch with and to know who is most relevant to your needs or ethics. Understanding who can offer things to you and how to make the most of what/who is out there.

- Ultimately knowing what people what. What skills they need and how you can provide this. What agencies are looking for from new employees. Overall, knowing how you as a designer will sit within the industry given your skills, ethics and morals.

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