- A range of experience in a variety of places/areas.
- Working freelance.
- Visiting studios, print houses and manufactures.
- Managing the print and production of your work.
- Live briefs: international and national competitions.
e.g. YCN have student and Professional awards scheme
'The YCN Student Awards shine a light on new creative talent, and centre on a collection of live creative briefs'
2. Why is it important to PPD?
- Communication
We can only be taught limited things as a student, we can not be taught some of the most beneficial skills, such as those for communicating with a clint or employer.
- Learn what it would be like to 'be' in that job or 'work' for those kind of people.
The experience of working in a live studio environment is completely different to working in a studio at college, we may be learning new skills from our lectures and seminars but we don't get the awareness and understanding of working in design studio. Through this we may also discover the type of job we want as a designer, do we want the freedom of a freelancer or the studio with different designers around me?
- To expand our skills.
Although in college we are constantly be tough different skills, some things we cant understand, develop or even learn until we get actual experience in a live studio. The course we are on is only just the beginning of our understanding and skills for Graphic Design, when we get out in the real work the experiences we come across will allow us to be learning all the time.
- Work on our portfolio.
Working with professional designers in a professional design studio will allow us the have professional experience in projects which we would not get as graduates at college. We would have the change for our work to possibly appear in campaigns and high profile design, giving employers the chance to recognize our work and get our name out there.
- Get some contacts.
Work placements are one of the best opportunities to make contacts with other Graphic Designers or Graphic houses. Placements allow us to access high profile companies and design teams that we would be unable to to work with or be recognised at student level. Work placements give us the opportunity to prove we can work to live briefs and in a fast moving environment. They also give us the opportunity to work with other designers skilled in different areas, while we are there we also have the chance to learn from them in their specialist area.
3. How do you gain experience?
- Freelance design jobs.
By taking on small freelance jobs on the side of studying you are gaining experience in communicating and working with a client. You also have the opportunity to work with professional printers, materials and images as well as fining out how you should change the client for the hours you have worked and the items you have designed.
- Current contacts.
Some people already have friends or family in the industry who can help them out with gaining experience or getting a placement.
- Live briefs.
These competitions such as YCN or D&AD allow us to gain experience in competition with other designers, working to a specific deadline, brief and for our work to be publicly viewed.
- Work placement.
This allows us to spend time in Design Studios giving us an insight into the industry.
- Self Promotion.
This is a way of letting people know you exist, and could give you potential contact with clients, employers and colleagues.
4. What should you aim to gain?
- An insight into the professional design world.
- An idea weather this is the right path for you, or which design area you want to work in.
- New experiences and skills on how to communicate with professional designers..
- Future contacts.
