After saying last term that I wanted to decrease the amount on my plate, I am actually working more than I was before 🙂 which is mainly the reason I have not updated this blog since January. Since last time I have started two new placements : DESIS Lab at UAL and Product Design and Development at Cou Cou intimates. 2 days and 3 days respectively alongside my one shift a week at the cafe/bar I work at.
Although I am busier, I would say that since Christmas and starting these new placements I feel slightly more fulfilled. At both Cou Cou and DESIS I think I have more responsibility than at previous placements and it feels like a step up. However, I am knackered. Next week is Easter weekend, and I am more ready than ever to go back to my home of Manchester for a few days.
Cou Cou Intimates
As Product Design and Development Intern, I conduct sample approvals, fabric approvals, sending DHLs, assisting with fittings, studio organisation, odd sewing jobs and maintaining the range plan rails and development rails. When I first started at Cou Cou, Toni from my course who was the intern before me, was still there, and I was shadowing the intern for the first 2 weeks. I found this to be quite comforting seeing a familiar face when joining a new team, but also it was difficult to get stuck in with tasks and I felt frustrated at times being new and almost the ‘intern’s intern’. On reflection though, this was very helpful for learning and allowed an almost seamless transition from Toni leaving and I feel like I learned very quickly from her. Thanks, Toni! Since Toni left, things have moved at a very fast pace and I feel like I have integrated well within the Product team. A couple of weeks ago, I received some positive feedback from Leila and Elif on the product team saying that they can trust me to get on with things, which I feel is true and highlights my proactive nature and initiative. It was very nice to hear their kind words and affirming to me that I am doing a good job and bring something to the team. At some points during this year, I have felt demotivated and there are time where I feel like some positive feedback would have been helpful.
I am finishing my placement at Cou Cou at the end of June and this past week it has been on my mind that I would really like to maintain communications with the team at Cou Cou regarding future employment opportunities. I enjoy the work environment in the office and feel like I fit in with the all-female team. My manager Robyn, goes away for a few weeks in April, and I am thinking of asking to have a check in with her before she goes away to review my work so far as an intern. I’d like to use this to maybe scope how to navigate discussions about staying connected and future job opportunities at Cou Cou. I could also ask to extend my time at Cou Cou, however I feel like I can’t do the whole summer on an intern wage and will need to increase my hours at Parlez. Whilst I really appreciate the £50 a day I receive for my work there, I find it frustrating that the industry relies on interns working for little to no money to function. Stay posted for what happens!
DESIS Lab
At DESIS Lab, I am assisting Prof. Becky Earley with the organisation, research and design of the Common Good Design Event in May. Becky is based at Chelsea, so once a week I go back to the familiar Millbank campus to her office in D block. So far in this role, I have designed the identity and communications for the event, created pre event questionnaires, written and conducted pre event interviews, creating profiles of the organisations that will be attending.
The other day of the week I work from home, a luxury I am very appreciative of. I am very thankful for this day and I feel like it really makes a difference to my work balance.
The pre event interviews have been going well and I think a sign of my gain in confidence during the DPS year. I think I might have struggled quite a bit at the thought of interviewing strangers online who are older and more knowledgeable than me if you had asked me to a year ago, however now after 3 interviews and with two coming up, I do not feel much anxiety towards this task. I still feel like I could come across more confident in these interviews, but I do think as I do each one I gain a bit more confidence. It really is true the more times you do something the less scary it becomes.
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