Last week we were excited to welcome Lana to our team for a week’s work placement. Joining us from the Creative & Media Studio School, Lana is currently studying photography, textiles and graphics, so a placement within our studio was ideal.
Speaking of her time here, Lana shared “I really enjoyed my work placement at Browndog as I was able to see what a creative office job looks like, as well as what kind of projects I would be working on if I choose a career in graphic design and marketing.”
Below she shared further insight into her week, joining our team to understand the day-to-day tasks and what life is really like from inside our agency.
Tell us a little more about what you did during your placement week?
During the placement, I designed a wireframe for Calderdale College’s automotive courses as well as thinking of names and designing logos for a new cafe. I had never done any website design before but I really enjoyed it and I’m interested in doing it again.
I had a really nice time with Browndog, I was able to see what a 9-5 job is like as well as the responsibilities that come with working on projects.
What did you enjoy most about your placement?
The work placement introduced me to different types of jobs within the creative industry and this was really helpful as I am more informed about potential careers and jobs I could go into after I finish my education.
One of the most helpful things I got from this work experience was being more comfortable speaking to people I’ve never met before. Everyone was really nice and friendly which made it easy to form connections with people. This really boosted my confidence when talking to people I don’t know, which I’m sure will be helpful in a career revolving around speaking to clients and businesses.
What did you do during your placement that you are most proud of?
My first task during my placement was to research and design a web page for two college courses. I started with contextual research which helped me to understand what people would want to see on the page along with the importance of certain details. I then designed a wireframe where I was given helpful constructive criticism which I used to create a final design for the website. I was very happy with the outcome of the design as it matched the brand of the college and it was a realistic example of what I would be doing as a designer in the industry.
Were your learning goals met?
Yes, I learned lots about working in an office and the responsibilities of working under an employer. I was shown how the agency communicates with their clients and employees along with how they manage their projects. The placement gave me a realistic experience where I learned how people at work talk to each other, share constructive criticism and ideas. This also showed me how to handle a 9-5 job, which will help me make decisions about roles in the future.
How has doing the placement impacted on your plans for the future?
Everyone was friendly and happy to help me, they made my time in the office enjoyable and entertaining. With their guidance, I learned a lot about the industry and what a job would be like in an agency which gave me a realistic insight into job hunting, university and apprenticeships. I really enjoyed my time at Browndog, I hope to work alongside them again one day.
Tell us one thing you learnt through doing a placement at Browndog
I learned how the business and clients communicate, along with understanding the process a design will go through to meet the client’s requirements. I attended a meeting during my placement with a client of Browndog, which I found very informative as I learned about the timeline of the project, and this helped me understand its scale and how long it would take to complete.
And finally…
When asked if Lana would recommend this placement to a friend, she kindly rated us 10/10 (we honestly didn’t bribe her in any way). Furthermore, when asked what could have been improved about her placement, she said that she had no ideas for improvements because she was treated respectfully and was offered help and advice whenever she needed it. She continued, “this made the experience enjoyable as I didn’t feel like a burden for being new to working in an office on projects I had no prior experience with”.
