What is Industrial Experience?

What is industrial experience?

1. Entering live briefs from industry clients, working to a realistic timescale and for a real client.

D&AD     YCN     TalentHouse


 2. Self identity and professional presence, branding yourself to the professional environment.

Business cards, bridging contacts, innovative ways to attract attention, samples of work.


3. Online presence as well as a physical presence, to obtain professional feedback and promote yourself.

Behance     Pinterest     Tumblr     Issuu     Emails     


4. Knowing what work's being produced in the industry, winners of awards, innovative design and potentially, trends.

D&AD Awards     YCN Talent Agency     


5. Visiting studios to network in person, getting your foot in the door.


6. Attending trade shows, exhibitions, art & print festivals, museums.

Nobrow     Leeds Print Festival     


What can you learn? 

1. A good understanding of the pace within the industry.

2. A network of contacts to help me further my career.

3. How to generate an income from a hobby making my practice profitable.

4. A knowledge of what's being produced within the industry before it's released.

5. How a client relationship within industry works.

6. Different ways studios operate.

7. What studios look for in work and portfolios.
      

How can you obtain industrial experience?



1. Visiting a studio.

2. Talking to professionals and attending lectures.

3. Following design blogs, keeping up to date with what's being produced.

4. Visiting printers and places involved with production.

5. Summer intern or helping out a studio on spare days.

6. Competing with other professionals by entering live briefs.

7. Assess your work on a weekly basis.


What areas of industry are you interested in?
 
1. Web design and coding.

2. Motion graphics and interactive design.

3. Print and publication.

4. Illustration and hand rendered.

5. Branding and identity.


What are your concerns about industrial experience?
 
1. Working in a studio which has bad vibes.

2. Not feeling like part of the studio.

3. Being ordered around as opposed to learning anything.

4. General rejection from the studios I try and talk to.

5. Feeling as though I've wasted my time.