During lockdown, eight students from Confetti have been working on placements at Nottingham’s STENCIL design agency.
A group of eight students from Confetti have been taking part in work placements with Nottingham’s STENCIL design agency. Due to current Government restrictions, the placements have taken place remotely.
Managing Director of STENCIL, Andy Afford, has been impressed with the students’ work, and has grown accustomed to the new ways of working this pandemic has thrown our way:
“This is the second year we’ve worked with Confetti, and this year we’ve been working remotely for the most part which has made us, out of necessity, even more organised. I’d also say that it has really given us the chance to understand this new world of work better. This sense of blended employment – some remote, some in-office – will become increasingly the norm. Confetti’s fabulous students has allowed us the opportunity of giving it a good road test.”
Lauren Squires, Course Leader for FdA Graphic Design at Confetti, explains how important experiences like this are for students looking to get into the world of work following their studies:
“Our FdA students have been on their work placements with STENCIL since September and have found the experience to be invaluable. The work placement at STENCIL allows our students to apply the technical and theoretical skills they have acquired on the course into the real world of graphic design. The placement has given students an amazing opportunity to develop their technical graphic design skills through working on live briefs for a range of clients. The placement has allowed to students to gain first-hand experience of the practicalities of being part of a creative design team and understand the benefits of collaborative working.”
So what did the students think of their placements?
Molly Bloodworth is a Level 3 Graphic and Digital Design student who is taking part in the T Level Industry Work Placement Pilot, where she is participating in a 45-day placement that takes place for two days a week over a six month period.
“I am enjoying my placement at STENCIL for many reasons, I enjoy the work I am given as it shows what work in the industry will be like and gives a sense of the work environment that I will be in when I get into work. During lockdown, the way people work has changed. By working remotely, it gives me a chance to be more independent with my designs and figure things out on my own but still have help when I need it, which I feel is a benefit.”
Milly Matthews – FdA Graphics and Digital Design student – explained that the placement has helped her “develop skills with hands-on experiences”, and that the team at STENCIL have really helped support her during the past year’s difficult lockdowns.
Experiences like these are what Confetti prides itself upon – offering real-life industry experience, and allowing those who study with us to Do It For Real.
