What Is Industrial Experience?

An independent list, and a group discussion was practiced in a workshop.

What is industrial experience?

• Studio visits
• Dealing formally with a printer
• Professional skills
• Visiting a printing company
• Client briefs
• Business skill sets and knowledge
• Using formal language
• Communicating formally verbally and in written form
• Placements either paid or unpaid

How do you get it?

• Confidence
• Be interesting/personable
• Networking
• Research
• Getting your body of work seen by a wide audience
• Building a portfolio
• Collaboration

Concerns

• Is my work good enough?
• Do I need a placement on my degree in order to be employable post grad?
• Should I always ask to be paid even if I don't have any professional experience?

Why it is useful

• Insight
• Builds on CV
• Informs your practice
• Develops portfolio
• Makes you more employable
• Print production methods
• Builds confidence
• Collaboration
• Company ethos
• Makes contacts

Who can offer it?

• Design studios/agencies
• Freelance offers
• Sectors with large companies

What do you need to get it?

• Confidence
• Good communication skills
• Body of works that is varied and shows who you are as a designer
• Design skills, both visual and software (technical)
• Pitching an idea
• Enthusiasm
• Funding
• Organisation
• Luck
• Who you know