PPD//Industrial experience//Creative CV content.

The final completed task from yesterday's Industrial experience and creative CV building workshop, in which we specifically looked at the content (in various categories, which can be seen in the PDF document above) which we would consider adding to our finalised creative CV's in time for contacting studios for industrial experience such as placements and studio visits. 


Certainly a lot that need tweaking and perhaps spending a little more time considering- it may be a good idea to return to these sorts of exercises every week to think and re- plan my contact/creative CV information to ensure that I present and portray the best version of myself as possible.

PPD//Industrial experience//Studio workshop tasks.

Working in small groups of six, in response to the PPD Industrial experience workshop briefing session, we were given a set of studio tasks to complete in order to get us really thinking about what we expect from the industry, and, ultimately, what we hope to achieve from it. 
The content below is the written information that we gathered in response to these tasks, each within their own separate categories given throughout the morning- a great brainstorm session which has given me lots of inspiration for expanding both my networking and research potential, which I hope to progress on with imminently. 


TASK I


WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL EXPERIENCE?


- Studio visits
- Competitions
- Live briefs
- Freelance work
- Shadowing
- Portfolio review
- Setting up a business
- Sending a print job
- Internships
- Networking


WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH?


- Studio visits- looking at websites
- Networking
- Studio talks/visiting professionals
- Events- print festival, etc
- Graphic design exhibitions
- Magazines, websites, library
- Printers visits
- College lectures
- How other people promote themselves
- Look at competitors using SWOT analysis


TASK II


INDUSTRIAL EXPERIENCE
CONCERNS/PROBLEMS


- Am I good enough?
- Where do you start?
- What if nobody wants me?
- Affordability of travel, etc.
- Tone of voice- not too desperate!
- A lot of competition/competitors


OPPORTUNITIES


- Enter live competitions/briefs
- Work out areas of interest
- Look at stuff that is available
- Look back over design context blog
- Work out where you can afford to go


PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH
CONCERNS/PROBLEMS


- Where do you look?
- How do you network?
- Who do you network with?
- Having the time to look effectively.
- Am I looking at the right thing?


OPPORTUNITIES


- Lots to look at.
- Create a social presence online.
- Look back over who we have been looking at already to start generating a list.
- Look for new studios.
- Find work by studios/professionals.
- Find exhibitions, etc, to possibly attend.


TASK III


CREATIVE CVs
and tent things we need to put in them


- Work experience
- Ambitions
- Contact details
- Skills set (software, etc)
- Personal interests
- About me (who you are)
- Reflect on your design approach (branding and self promotion)
- What you could offer the specific studio (personalise your CV for different studios)
- References/testimonials
- Work availability
- Qualifications


STUDIO VISITS
and ten things we will gain from them


- Professional contacts and networking
- An insight into companies
- An insight into the design practice and whether or not it's suited to you
- A realistic view of the working practice and studio environment
- Potential to gain an industrial placement
- Potential to gain portfolio reviews/opinions on your work and design practice
- Samples of studio work
- Potential to interview designers and to find out more about their working day/life
- Chance to visit new places- locations as well as the studio, and whether it would be suited to your lifestyle (work and practice) post-graduation
- Encouragement to plan for your future


PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH
and ten things we will gain from it


- Gives you a better understanding/idea of what you want to do
- Makes you aware of what's going on in the industry
- Inspires your own practice
- Find out the expectations of the industry
- You gain industry contacts- networking
- Can search for companies you'd like to work with
- Can find out about other areas of the industry, eg photography and printers
- Makes you more aware of life after Uni
- Visiting exhibitions makes you more culturally aware
- Encourages you to plan for the future

PPD//Industrial experience/Creative CV workshop briefing.

Yesterday morning, we had our first PPD briefing as we kicked off the industrial experience programme within the module- learning how to brand ourselves, create networks and really get ourselves out there and seen within the creative industries. The notes written below are ones that I took directly from the brief which lead on to the PPD workshop task(s), which will be blogged at a later date (though, of course, as soon as possible).


NOTES FROM THE BRIEFING


- After Easter, PPD presentation task will be briefed (10 minutes... what I've achieved in the academic year).
- What is a creative CV?
- Next week, mailshots and personal branding (DREAMWEAVER).
- Starting the investigation into developing a professional practice.
- In the summer, we are going to focus on studio visits NOT industrial placements (spend a day at each, see how the company/design team works... build a network of contacts).


WHAT IS A CREATIVE CV?


- Who are you writing it for
- Who needs to read it?
- Who will actually read it?
- What do they need to know?
- What do they want to know?


(Sense of ethos, humour, way of working)


PROTECT YOURSELF FROM GETTING EXPLOITED


- Negotiate before accepting placements. PRE studi visits will help this.


INDUSTRIAL EXPERIENCE CAN BE (FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE...)


- Studio visits
- Live briefs, YCN, member of professional organisation
- Leeds book fair
- D&AD brief for image
- Wizarding winter fair
- Freelance work
- YCN Collaborative brief
- Papergirl
- Cosmopolitan work experience
- Notonthehighstreet.com
- Etsy
- Nook & Cranny at The Bluecoat


SELF BRANDING & PROMOTION


- Preparing a CV (on moodle, PPD)
- Creative CV brief (on moodle, PPD)


FOCUS ON TEN STUDIOS I WANT TO CONTACT
WORK ON CREATIVE CV...


5 x TASK...


- 5 FACTS I WANT TO INCLUDE IN MY CV
- 5 STATEMENTS ABOUT MYSELF
- 5 PRACTICAL SKILLS
- 5 CREATIVE SKILLS
- 5 PERSONAL QUALITIES I WANT TO PROMOTE


(Give evidence, examples, proof)

Enterprise//Enterprise Group//Enterprise end of module evaluation.

The completed personal feedback for the Enterprise OUCE255 Level VI module for BA (Hons) Graphic Design, completed with feedback and a personal review of my work and performance throughout the module.

Cafe 164 & Split//Competition Brief.

http://www.cafe164.com/


Follow up information sent to me yesterday following meeting Oli from Leeds-based design company 'Split' at the latest Reetsweet craft fair I was selling at.
As previously mentioned (and blogged!), the designer at Split, Oli,  whom I met at the fair asked whether or not I would be interested in entering a competition that both he and Cafe 164 were putting on to get work exhibited in the Cafe, which sits alongside the Leeds Art Gallery.


Free to enter, and with a little while before the submission date, I think it's a great opportunity- I've put out the message to fellow BAGDers too, so hopefully the opportunity will be as popular as I believe it deserves to be- a great chance to have work seen in the community, and, potentially bought by the public too.

Personal Development//Golden Age Interview.

'Golden Age' is an online magazine created by US- based photographer, Nikki Chicoine. Having got to know Nikki through a mutual love of photography and practice of the medium (for me, a couple of years ago now) I was delighted when Nikki both told me about the magazine she was creating to showcase photographers, as well as asking whether I would take part for an interview about my Graphic Design work.
The PDF copy of the magazine (posted above) is the last issue- Issue 3, and shows an example of the sort of work I will be alongside- my interview (the responses as published below) to be in the next issue. With many supporters (talking thousands...) of Nikki's work, I anticipate that the magazine, too, will go on to achieve great online success.
Exciting times!

OUGD202//Additional feedback question.

Got a quick email from tutor Fred today with an additional question to be incorporated into the standardised module feedback that we receive after the end of each module.


The PDF above shows my response for this section- to be given in on the next tutorial session.