BA (Hons) Graphic Design networking event secures student internships

Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) hosted its eighth Graphic Design networking event on campus with over 66 industry professionals in attendance, all keen to meet this year’s Level 5 BA (Hons) Graphic Design students.

Representatives from over 20 companies sat down with BA (Hons) Graphic Design second-years at the event in May to conduct portfolio reviews and give feedback directly to the students. The annual event offers a valuable opportunity for students to meet industry professionals, show their portfolios, receive feedback and discuss potential internships.

Alice Stevens, Senior Lecturer on BA (Hons) Graphic Design at AUB, comments, “We’re delighted to announce that we’ve had the busiest network event to date. With the support of creative agencies and alumni, the event has grown and grown and is often regarded as the place for agencies and employers to look out for upcoming graphic design talent.

“The network event is really about confidence building and developing networks, but we are delighted that nine students were offered summer internships at the event, and through developing confidence, several students have gone on to find their own summer internships.”

The placements and internships secured from the 2024 event so far include Amelie O’Sullivan and Luke Taylor, who've both accepted paid summer placements at Imagination, a global creative agency; Alfie Arch, who was offered a 10-week paid placement at SALO Creative, a digital agency specialising in UX and UI; and Daisy Pearson-Bennett and Keytrin Gyumova, who were both offered a placement at Bright Blue Day, a local integrated agency.

In addition, Emily Porter is currently undertaking an internship at Threesixty, which specialises in brand strategy, brand creation and packaging design; and Louise Andrews was offered a placement with Eleven Miles, a local creative agency. Louise will also be returning to 778, a design and marketing agency, following a successful placement last summer.

Also, Bennya Taumsiri and Elli Vogelmann have been offered placements at the Bournemouth-based Walker Agency, one of the UK’s Top 100 Strategic and Creative Agencies.

Martin Nachev, an AUB alumnus and now a designer at Walker Agency, was at the networking event in a professional capacity.

“I graduated from AUB in June 2021 and started working as a Junior Creative for the Walker Agency in October of the same year," he says. "I’ve been there two and a half years now and have been promoted to designer.

“I remember when I was a student at the graphics network event, it was so useful to practise and present my portfolio. It really prepared me for interviews, and I secured a couple of interviews from the event itself too.”

Other professionals attending the event ranged from junior designers all the way up to creative leaders and strategists from global powerhouses to innovative and nimble startups, enabling students to meet with decision-makers and also AUB alumni who are now successfully employed.

AUB alumni Lisa Drake and Isobel Fiske now both work at Mettle Studios, a product design studio specialising in digital and hardware solutions.

Lisa comments, “It’s been really interesting coming back and sitting on the other side of the table as the business, rather than the student. It’s wonderful to see so many talented students, and to be able to feed back and hopefully inspire them as they look forward to their next chapter.

“I can remember how I felt; it was daunting but also exciting, I remember those nerves! So, now, I’m trying my best to calm their nerves, telling them to take their time and go through one project at a time. It’s quite hard to try and offer advice and feedback in just 10 minutes, but I gave all of them my business card and said that I’d be more than happy to speak to them for longer outside the event.”

“Networking is so important..." adds Isobel, "...That’s how I got introduced to Mettle, which ultimately led to me securing this position. It’s such an important opportunity for students to show their work, get feedback, and to show themselves. Share their interests, and let people get to know who they are. Ultimately, these businesses are looking to invest in you, so let them meet you, see your work, and your personality."

Alice adds, “There’s a strong employability strand that runs through the course which has been really effective, it’s enabled our level 5 students to develop in confidence and agency to obtain their own opportunities and internships which they very brilliantly demonstrated at the networking event.”

In addition to the placements acquired off the back of the event, Level 5 BA (Hons) Graphic Design students have secured various other opportunities, including:

• Paul Dumitru has been offered a paid summer placement with 20ten, a London-based advertising agency.
• Nayanika Sengupta has accepted an internship with Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR), an independent creative agency based in London, New York and Shanghai. Nayanika has also secured a placement with Koto, a brand and digital agency.
• Nigel Cabral has just completed a four-week internship with Interstate Creative Partners, a global creative agency in London, and has been offered a junior role for when he graduates. He also has two other internships over the summer, one at Honey, and the other at award-winning design agency Minerva Studio.
• Lettie Suen has returned home for the summer break and is currently a design intern for the Hong Kong government, working in the Agriculture, Conservation and Fisheries Department on branding and merchandise design.
• Matt King is currently working for a French clothing brand.
• Finlay Heanue is working for The Pioneer Club, a music venue and community centre, where he supports with their new website, branding and social media.