Evening all! This is my shiny new blog, which I'm intending on keeping up to date regularly. Firstly, I think I'll introduce myself a bit.
I am a Freelance Junior Graphic and Web Designer, and I graduated during the Summer of 2010 with a First Class Honors degree in Graphic Communication. I have been doing a graduate placement for the last 3 months, and working part time in retail to cover my back after the placement. Working 50 hours a week with one day off a week is tough going! Especially with a house to upkeep too! But I have learned so much, and developed my skills greatly, as well as enjoyed being in the industry that I'm interested in. Check out my website to see what I mean! I can now build websites using HTML and CSS!
I would recommend anyone to take part in a graduate placement. For those living in Wales, use GoWales. The placement plan is very relaxed, and you do a City and Guilds Award at the same time, so you get a qualification at the end of it, which is a bonus! It's not just for graduates, it's for students too. The more experience you can get the better, particularly in this industry, so if any of you are students, really consider the option of GoWales - the money is great, and it will look great on your CV. You'll also learn more than you do while at University, and anything you learn while working in industry is valuable.
So now I've finished my placement, I've been asked to work for a bit longer at the company, but unfortunately they can't keep me on. Therefore I'm looking for a full time Graphic or Web Design job in the Cardiff area, or to build up some contacts and get some freelance work going. Job vacancies of this sort are pretty rare though, so I'm struggling a bit! It seems that most jobs are in London. I'm originally from North Wales, a very rural and country based place with lost of fresh air and where you have to travel over an hour to find a decent clothes shop or cinema. So I don't like the idea of living in London! Cardiff is surrounded by greenery, so it feels like home here. I doubt I'd be able to settle in London.
In my blog posts, I want to help and give tips to prospective graduates about to venture into the real world. It's a tough place to be, though you have the luxury of not having homework! I also want to share with you all any interesting things I come across, be in graphic design related or not. I hope you all keep checking back to see what I've been up to and for any interesting bits'n'bobs that I find!
I'll close now, but I'll be back again soon! Bye!
