‘Teething’ My Way into Industry

new_tt_logo1-TOMMEE-TIPPEE

In the summer I conducted a 3 month internship as a junior designer with Jackel International under the Tommee Tippee brand. In the position I was given the opportunity to work with industry professionals in an in-house design department. In the role I was given the opportunity to develop design ideas for the company in a number of ways, working by myself in producing baby products and generating detailed research to support and show marketing teams the reasoning for the developed designs. I also worked with and alongside my colleagues to produce products for toddlers creating detailed sketch work, analysis and research to which we presented to groups from marketing, sales, quality control and manufacturing.

My time working in the position has allowed me to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the work that is conducted in a real life industry standard design company. The enthusiastic, fun and friendly team I worked alongside have all contributed to my understanding and further knowledge of industrial design. I will take away this knowledge and apply it to the work I conduct in the future hoping to develop my skills to help me secure that dream job.

Owen

Owen Wright
3rd Year Product Design

 

“Going the Extra Mile”

The world of work is a difficult place for a young graduate to navigate. How do you get noticed?, get taken seriously?, get things done? Everything and everyone is new!

Well, product design graduate Michelle Blackett had some of the answers to those thorny questions when she gave an inspirational talk to our students last week. Michelle graduated in 2010 and her first destination job was as a Knowledge Transfer Associate with Nifco UK. Nifco UK is an injection moulding company, supplying many of the big name car manufacturers.

20141107_135442

Michelle was employed through the university and mentored in her role by Peter Reid, Senior Lecturer in Product Design.   Her job was to develop a New Product Development Strategy.   No small task!     Michelle has since gone on to be employed by Nifco in a variety of roles from project engineer where she was responsible for key accounts with Ford and Jaguar/Land Rover to her current position as Marketing Manager with responsibility for Branding, internal and external communications.  

One of many great examples of how Michelle has gone the extra mile is when she organised a teambuilding and charity event for Nifco staff to climb England’s highest mountain, Scarfell Pike in the Lake District.   http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/stockton-workers-peak-performance-tsunami-3675240

But now Michelle is about to go a few miles further… Ford have offered her a new role in Essex!

And the secret of Michelle’s success, in a nutshell… “always going that extra mile” and exceeding your boss’s expectations.   That’s what quickly builds respect and builds your career.

Designers for the future

18 Year 11 and 12 students from Kings Academy joined us last Wednesday as part of a mentoring programme with our 3rd year students. This was the 1st of three visits over the course of the year. The product design students are acting as clients giving support, advice and direction on a range of projects undertaken by the students from Kings. Project briefs include kettles, interior car parts and lighting.

Mentor_01 Mentor_02 Mentor_03.

As part of the visit they were also given a flavour of what it is like to be a student at Teesside University during a tour of the University campus by our 2nd year student Ambassadors.