Reflections from 2021 participants
The path into a creative career is not usually linear. It’s less about reaching specific milestones and more about the skills, experiences and contacts that you pick-up along the way. If you are not sure whether to apply for Werkhouse 2022 as part of your journey (spoiler alert: you definitely should!) here is more from some of last year’s participants about their pathways and what they got from the weekend.
Charlotte
Charlotte Escott is a Graphic Designer based in Weston Super Mare. She graduated from Falmouth University and before that had worked for eight years before deciding she wanted a change. “At Werkhouse I got to meet all sorts of different people - the creative directors, designers, and finding out about all the other types of design roles over the whole weekend. It was rewarding, fun and tiring! I was absolutely knackered by the second day! But it was a lovely, lovely experience.”
Hannah
Hannah Li is an in-house Graphic Designer living in Kent. After A-levels she went to Falmouth University to do a Graphic Design degree. “I saw Werkhouse on Instagram – there is really nothing to lose by applying. Meeting the other participants reminded me to be less self-critical and that there’s not only one ‘right’ way of doing things. That was comforting, and I feel more prepared to take risks and set higher goals for myself since Werkhouse. It was an adrenaline-rush and challenging, but I’m appreciative of it helping me to grow”.
Magda
Magda Wachowicz is a Freelance Digital Designer living in London. She started her creative education at an Art High School in Poland. “The weekend was invigorating, fast and eye-opening - all at the same time! Werkhouse gave me the confidence to speak up and not worry about making mistakes in front of people. I’ve gained a new motto, ‘just go for it and make it happen!’”
Poppy
Poppy Attenborough-Lamb went to Manchester School of Art to study Graphic Design after doing an art foundation. “I found out about Werkhouse while I was interning at Marles + Barclay - Adrian recommended it. The weekend really solidified some of the things I’d already learnt, like starting with ideas and doing the artwork later. After Werkhouse I got an internship with Halo, who were at the weekend as Team Leaders. It’s when you start working you realise that some of the things from University don’t necessarily work in a design studio.”
Yelena
Yelena Aleksic went to university in Brighton and studied a BA in Graphic Design and Illustration. She found out about Werkhouse on Creative Lives in Progress. “I was nervous about entering the world of work - it’s quite daunting. I freelanced alongside Uni projects for a couple of local businesses. Finding my own clients taught me a lot of stuff that you only learn when you just do it. I knew Bristol had an amazing creative scene, and the opportunity to be with all the creative professionals was what really interested me. I just thought: I'm going to go for it and apply!”
Gabriel
Gabriel Britton is living in London and working in Industrial Design. He went to Brunel University, where he studied a BA in Industrial Design and Technology. “After taking part in Werkhouse I have mentioned it in job interviews. It’s perfect if you’re asked about how you work in a team, what you’ve done aside from Uni and what experience you’ve got presenting to clients. And one of the most important things I learned during the weekend was don’t just use your laptop. It’s so much more useful to ask for advice instead of just researching online!”
Jake
After deferring a place to study on a Fine Art BA course, Jake Davis took two years out of education. He’s now in his final year studying Graphic Communication at Bath Spa University. “During that gap, I worked on my portfolio, but I felt very lost and had little idea of how to get a job in the creative industry. Through Werkhouse I have learnt that the people at design agencies will help you however they can. The weekend gave me amazing connections and I got a placement at Mytton Williams as a result. I’ve still got a lot of learning to do, but I would love to start my own practice one day.”
Mrunali
Mrunali Bhangale is a Product Designer based in London. She initially studied science, mathematics and biology in India. “I knew I wanted to get into something creative, but I didn’t look at Product Design until I did a foundation course. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from Werkhouse and I didn’t expect to meet Strategists or Product Designers - but I ended up meeting quite a few! This just confirmed that it is the direction I want to go in. Werkhouse was a collaborative, exciting, jam-packed learning experience.”
Preksha
Preksha Shah is based in London. She did her BA in Design in India, then worked for two years as a Junior Designer. “I was really intrigued by Werkhouse. I messaged a few of the previous participants to ask about it and everyone gave me a really positive response. So, I was like, okay, let's apply! I was very curious about not having laptops for two days and thought ‘What are we going to do?’. But we were brainstorming for most of the weekend, and it was so refreshing. I’ve taken that from the experience.”
Shannon
Shannon Prendergast is a Digital Designer from Bristol. After college, rather than go to Uni, she went into an apprenticeship as a Junior Content Producer. “I worked as an art assistant, helping to design flyers. I gained skills in Adobe Creative Suite, but I still found it difficult to enter the creative industry. It was my apprenticeship at Spice Rack that gave me direct access. Here I picked up design skills and animation techniques. Werkhouse made me realise how important it is to collaborate and connect with other creatives in your field. It was a great way to do this.”