PPP3 : Placement

Placement:

Throughout this year it has been mentioned many times that it is advisable to participate in a placement. I do agree that it is very beneficial to do a placement as it is a good learning curve and opportunity to get your foot through the door of a studio, but sadly it has not happened for me thus yet. This is for a number of reasons. Although I did want to undertake in a placement I spent a large portion of the year not knowing what sort of studio I was interested in working in and I didn't want to just go on a placement for the sake of going on one and waste both the design studios and my time as I have felt very precious with my time and have not wanted to waste any part of this year.

I have always had the attitude what I want to work for myself when it comes to graphic design and would want to open up a studio with people i share synergy with. This opportunity came up when I started working with Greta and then it developed from a fleeting idea/dream to something more real when Lizzi and Mike got involved (even though Greta has departed the group). Now that I knew that this is actually something which can be achieved as we are all very passionate about setting up on our own it became obvious that the studio I should be contacting are small independent studios as this is where I envision myself working. I then began contacting smaller studios engaging in conversations about how to set up, but most of the studios that replied were out of theUK so it has not been possible to set up a visit.

Most independant studios are generally quite small and may not have room for a placement but there is no harm in asking for advise and tips about how they set up etc. Now that I had a purpose to be contacting studios I felt a lot more comfortable and able to engage in conversation without feeling like I was using them. If an opportunity arises from these conversations to do a placement I will definitely get involved as I do feel there is a lot to be learned from doing a placement and seeing how studio operate especially as I will be able to translate this into our potential studio Say My Name.  I have compiled a list of independent studios in the local area of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield and will contact them regarding visits / seeking advises with the hope that a placement could be offered, but if I don't get a response I won't be disheartened as I am going to have plenty of opportunities, time wise, to partake in placements and as sad as it is the industry is built on graduates going from placement to placement so I feel I will definitely be able to get involved. I am happy that I have not rushed into a placement  at the start of the year as I now feel I have spent more time perfecting my portfolio and skills and would feel  a lot more comfortable in a professional work place now, especially now I know more about where I want to end up and what I would want to take away from a placement, so hopefully I will get some replies from independent design studios, and if I do I would organise for it to be done during the summer, as I feel I should concentrate during this last push on my own work and not try juggle something else.