Class of 2019
Interior Design BA
Job:
Interior Designer – Solas Interiors
IF YOU STUDIED YOUR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMME AT YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY OR FOUNDER COLLEGES, DID YOU GO ON TO POSTGRADAUTE STUDY?
No.
WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN THIS PHOTO AS YOUR YSJ SNAPSHOT?
This is an on-site image, post completion, talking through the process to get us there – from early brief taking, designing and specification to handover to client.
WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND YSJ TO SOMEONE?
I miss everything! YSJ gave me some of the best years of my life, I had a great time. I loved the small, close-knit feel of the campus, the tutoring which was supportive and guiding and helped me prepare for my career and the culture amongst students and staff. York as a city is still my home from home and count myself very lucky to have lived there, I still visit regularly to meet up with the lifelong friends I made at uni.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY OR FOUNDER COLLEGES?
I applied to several universities across the countries and narrowed it down to two choices. I knew on the day I toured YSJ that that was the university for me. The facilities, the beautiful setting & campus and that smaller uni feel. The format of the course and the modules appealed to be more than alternative unis but mostly it came down to a gut instinct feeling, YSJ just had a great feel about it.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE COMPLETING YOUR STUDIES?
YSJ gave me the toolkit I needed to go anywhere I wanted. Initially I tested out a few avenues in event design and hospitality before eventually moving into workplace design which I’ve been primarily working in for the past 5 years. The methods and approaches I first practiced on university projects have given me a solid base I can always rely on when tackling projects – usually several at the same time! With YSJ the support didn’t stop after graduation and was able to call upon tutorings when in the process of interviewing for design jobs. After 5 years in industry I took the leap into freelance as a new challenge – it has very much been sink or swim and thankfully I’ve been doing the latter. Using the experience I’ve gathered across university and in industry has set me up to succeed whether I continue in self-employment or a different avenue. My uni degree has given me a trade that allows me to work anywhere and in whatever manner best works for me.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR SPECIFIC COURSE?
I came to YSJ as a mature student (graduating at age of 30) so had time to decide what exactly I wanted to do. When looking into the modules, facilities, and support around the design school it was an easy choice. Even the initial interview was very personable and seemed to be the best environment for me to learn in.
WHAT WERE THE BEST FEATURES OF YOUR COURSE?
The tutoring was fantastic, mentoring us so that we could go on to be successful with the toolkit YSJ provided. There were also many amazing experiences; particularly the design trip to Lisbon in 2019. I enjoyed designers working together across the different classes, undertaking projects with both the Product Design class and Graphic Design class. There was a wide breadth of study and variety in our course across interior design such as retail, workplace and hospitality and plenty of freedom to explore and tailor our final projects towards the field we ultimately wanted to end up in. Our second year workplace project in particular steered me towards a field I would go on to build a career in.
HOW DID STUDYING AT YSJ HELP IN YOUR CAREER SEARCH/SUCCESS/CURRENT ROLE?
As well as the toolkit and essential skills required for the job we got to know and understand the design process from start to finish. It helped determine what direction I wanted to go with my interior design career which is something I wasn’t sure of when I began. By the end of second year I knew it was commercial interior design I wanted to work in and narrowed the field to this. There was ongoing support with producing portfolios and CVs to set us up for success.
WHAT ONE PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A CURRENT STUDENT, OR ONE ABOUT TO GRADUATE?
Stick at it. It took 7 or 8 months from finishing my degree to actually getting job offers; at the time two actually came at once. Follow your gut – I was provided two very different options with two job offers in the space of two weeks and ultimately followed my gut in what was the best route for me.
Work hard and continue your personal development – no one can do this for you. Particularly in the early stages of your career you need to be a sponge and absorb any and all information you can from more experienced colleagues and mentors. Continue to develop and sharpen your skills so you’re always progressing and never standing still. Be sure to always ask questions – there is always scope to grow.
Be assertive – being a woman in construction isn’t easy! A thick skin is definitely beneficial, know how and when to advocate for yourself and don’t sell yourself short. You’ve earned your place to be there,