Getupandgo

Get up and go : 

Get up and go Pauline Amphlett & Karen Lennox Enterprise & Employability Conference/Metropole Hotel Llandrindod Wells/1-2/04/07 School of Art & Design Design Communication • Fine & Applied Arts professional practice

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The North Wales School of Art and Design has it’s own campus which is based at Regent Street and remains firmly a part of Newi. The current programme has been running in its present for since 2001 and has developed from a successful HND programme. The award maintains a strong vocational and academic ethos through all its named awards and aims to ensure on completion that our students will have a range of vocationally relevant skills to gain employment in the creative industries. Our design degree contains vocationally orientated subject disciplines, which all have strong industrial links.

Students who have graduated from our programme have been successful in national and international competitions and awards and have gained employment in a number of high profile companies such as: Electronic Arts (computer games), Bruce Dunlop (television graphics), Springetts (branding and packaging design), Hallmark Cards, MacMillan publishing, BskyB, BBC and Hot Animation. (animation studio) : 

Students who have graduated from our programme have been successful in national and international competitions and awards and have gained employment in a number of high profile companies such as: Electronic Arts (computer games), Bruce Dunlop (television graphics), Springetts (branding and packaging design), Hallmark Cards, MacMillan publishing, BskyB, BBC and Hot Animation. (animation studio) We have named routes in animation, graphic design, illustration, creative lens media, interactive multi-media and illustration for children’s publishing. It is hoped that our design graduates will flourish within diverse work scenarios into the 21st Century employment market.

The programme has a common module structure to encourage students to work across disciplines, acquire new thinking in relation to personal practice and to equip themselves with the intellectual and practical skills required by today’s rapidly changing design industry. : 

The programme has a common module structure to encourage students to work across disciplines, acquire new thinking in relation to personal practice and to equip themselves with the intellectual and practical skills required by today’s rapidly changing design industry. The philosophy of the programme is based on a student centered model, which provides our students with the maximum opportunity to utilise and build upon experiences gained within a creative learning environment.

graduate employment skills : 

graduate employment skills By 2020, half of the UK’s adults will be over 50-and both designers and their clients are getting the message that massive demographic change calls for a fundamental shift in design thinking. Design is known to be a connective and holistic discipline. Designers have to be able to do a bit of everything, know a bit of everything and have the confidence to be able to express themselves in almost every form of design language available. Therefore design education has to choose, amongst other things, what to offer and at what level to offer it.

professional practice modules : 

“ What does design education have to do to keep up? ” professional practice modules “ Ensuring a seamless experience for our students leaving college to getting that all important first job! ” Through these modules we aim to develop a students passion for the subject, arrange company visits, set up visits to design conferences, arrange outside client work and submit student work for entry to relevant competitions, encourage membership to design associations, set-up talks with design practitioners and arrange portfolio surgeries for them….

self promotion : 

self promotion We provide students with opportunities to promote themselves through a number of specific course assignments. So they can develop a personal identity for themselves which can be applied to a professional CV in either print or PDF format This can be developed in the design of a personal website. Which will demonstrate their design abilities and showing an understanding of typography, colour, and necessary layout skills. We also encourage our students to submit work to recognised competitions by the design industry and to critically evaluate their own design work. Whilst developing presentation skills, scheduling, and autonomous learning skills.

employer feedback : 

employer feedback The programme has many supporter’s including companies like Cosgrove Hall, Arthritis Care in Wales, Little Tiger Press, Walker Books, Mills Media, Mad, Love and Sequoia. “My decision to employ Pauline Walsh as part of my design team reflects well on both her own personal strengths and also the teaching and solid ground-work provided through the BA Design/Graphic Design course of NWSAD.” Mandy Rathmill (Director/MAD) “With over eighty CV’s submitted for just two positions, Sarah’s got her short listed for an interview. A designer’s CV is their first opportunity to make a creative impression, and Sarah’s did that.” Tina Jones (Production Manager/Mills Media)

case studies and dreams : 

case studies and dreams A number of our students start up their own businesses. Current students like Catherine Charnley are developing strong business ideas with our Careers Centre. Identifying a gap in the market for a craft magazine with a difference. One that recycles materials from the world we live in and reutilizes them into new products. Another student called Gareth Lawn will this Summer undertake a live brief working with Karen Lennox and the Careers Centre. He will be rebranding the centre with a new contemporary identity which will be launched prior to the next academic year in September, 2007.

development of business plans : 

development of business plans Catherine is currently developing a business plan with Judith Alexander/Stephen Mansfield in the Careers Centre. Stephen is Catherine’s personal advisor and it is hoped that this professional relationship will realise Catherine’s project further. Through the Careers Centre it is intended that Catherine will discover what implications there are associated with funding her project, discover what profit and loss accounts are, learn about budgeting and also consider the legal obligations of starting up her own business. Developing her entrepreneurial skills further.

graduate recruitment : 

graduate recruitment What do employers want ? How can students prepare for the employment market?

employer feedback : 

employer feedback Review standards of work Consider the benefits to the organisation Review skills development Receive support from the HEI

student feedback : 

student feedback Provide support with the placement Consider and review the learning experience Identify the skills development Consider the outcomes

future thinking : 

future thinking So were do we go from here…. Build on our strengths and identify our weaknesses through the regular review of our programme and existing modules. Review our advisory committee of local and national companies who support our programme. Review our Student Forum Committees to consider the feedback from them about ways to improve the experience of professional practice modules for future students. Involve our Careers Centre further in the input of content in our professional practice modules and supporting generic skills associated with the student assignments.

websites and links : 

websites and links www.becauseyoucan.com http://www.design-council.org.uk/ http://www.csd.org.uk/ www.dandad.org www.ycnonline.com www.istd.org.uk www.rsa.org.uk http://www.blushpublishing.co.uk/ http://www.frozenmoon.co.uk/ http://www.spencerharley.com/ http://professionalstudiesfile.blogspot.com/ http://www.timmakin.com/ www.funnelweb-design.com/tomhardwidge/

Slide 16: 

workshop activity Create a wish list and then write a fairy story in answer to the following questions: What’s working in the area of enterprise and employability within your own institution ? What would be your 5 year plan to improve enterprise and employability be in your own programme? (In other words what would you like it to be.) What steps would you have to put in place for your plan to be realised ? What assistance would you require if any from The Academy to realise your Ideas within your institution ?