Careers Spotlight: Graphic Designer

Graphic designers combine art and technology to communicate ideas by using a variety of design elements to achieve artistic or decorative effects. They develop the overall layout and production design for advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports. This usually starts out by producing rough illustrations of design ideas, either by hand sketching or by using a computer program. 

A graphic designer's end goal is to make the company that hired them recognizable and prominent. By using text, images, and a variety of media, they communicate a particular idea or identity to be used in advertising and promotions. Media may include fonts, size, shapes, colors, print design, photography, animation, logos, and billboards.

Graphic designers often collaborate on projects with other graphic designers, digital marketing specialists, multimedia animators, programmers, art directors, and web designers. When using text in layouts, they collaborate closely with copywriters who write the wording and decide whether the words will be put into headlines, paragraphs, lists, or tables.

A graphic designer's responsibilities involve the following:

• Meet with clients or the art director to determine the scope of a project

• Advise clients on strategies to reach a particular audience

• Determine the message the design should portray

• Create images that identify a product or convey a message

• Develop graphics and visual or audio images for product illustrations, logos, and websites

• Create designs either by hand or by using computer software packages

• Present the design to clients or the art director

Where can the graphic design field take you? There are many avenues you can look at pursuing, such as:

• Creative Director - Manage a creative team that creates visuals for product branding, advertising campaigns, etc.

• Art Director - Manage and coordinate between production artists and illustrators to make sure projects are completed on time and to the client’s satisfaction.

• Art Production Manager - Manage the production aspect of art generation and creation, with a focus on improving efficiency and lowering costs.

• Package Designer - Create and design packaging for marketing and/or products in terms of both design and physical construction.

• Brand Identity Developer - Develop brand identities for various organizations.

• Visual Journalist - Among other things, you create informational graphics known as infographics. This can be for print or digital application.

• Broadcast Designer - Create visual designs and electronic media to be used in television productions.

• Logo Designer - Create the visual expression of the organization’s key message or value. This is also a key aspect of brand identity — though in identity design, you carry the logo and design identity forward for all branding materials.

• Web Designer - Create graphics, layouts, and pages for websites.

• Multimedia Developer - Apply graphic design skills to sound and/or motion.

• Content Developer - Create written, graphical, video, sound, or other multimedia content depending on your brief.

If you want to find out more about becoming a graphic designer or design in general click on the link below

Boosting your CV

In this section we have looked at how boost your CV.  A good CV will get you noticed and invited for an interview, but no further.  The key to a successful interview lies in soft skills.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills relate to how you work. Soft skills include interpersonal (people) skills, communication skills, listening skills, time management, and empathy, among others. They are among the top skills employers seek in the candidates they hire, because soft skills are important for just about every job.

Over the next few editions of the careers newsletter we will look at different soft skills and how you can improve them

National Apprenticeship Week

Monday 6th February marks the start of the years National Apprenticeship Week.  

Apprenticeship training programmes are specifically tailored to ensure you develop the skills employers want. This means that apprentices not only have better long-term salary prospects, but they also have excellent progression opportunities, whether looking to study further or climb the ranks within the workplace.  There are a wide range of apprenticeships available.  Some apprenticeships are available to school leavers while others are available to those age 18 and over and there are also degree apprenticeships which as the name suggests lead to a degree at their conclusion.

For more information on apprenticeships please click on the links below

Open letter to students from Robert Halfon Minister for Apprenticeships 

Open letter to parents/guardians from Robert Halfon Minister for Apprenticeships  

Welcome to Unifrog

We have signed up to Unifrog and all students have now received their login details.

In a nutshell, Unifrog provides unbiased careers information and advice to young people to help them make informed decisions about what to do after school.

Unifrog has information about every post-16 and post-18 opportunity in the UK, so students can compare sixth form, Further Education, apprenticeship, university, and degree apprenticeship opportunities in one place. this is unmatched by any other careers website.  Unifrog can also help students compare university programmes taught in English around the world.

In addition to helping students consider their next steps in education Unifrog contains information on a wide range of careers and regularly host webinars on careers in different industries.

Current Opportunities

This month we have an opportunities in the technology sector and finance sector as well as a webinar on careers in the charitable sector

Biggest Technology Event of the Year! 

IBM, Capgemini, BT Group & more! 

Monday 6th February, 5pm - 8pm 

Calling all technology enthusiasts! On Monday 6th February between 5pm - 8pm we have something exciting planned for you! 

Do you want to shape the future and push boundaries? A digital career with world-class tech organisations Capgemini, IBM, Experian, BT Group, Worldwide Technology and WTW could be just for you. 

These companies are devising cutting-edge solutions and revolutionising the way people work. Immersed in new developments and concepts they are breaking new ground, using research to drive creative solutions. Tech jobs are available in various areas, including software engineering, web development, network engineering, data science, and IT support. You could also find jobs in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, cyber security and more. And with tech salaries now averaging at £60K you won’t want to miss out on the chance to hear from the brightest minds in the industry. 

Throughout the evening, you will have lots of opportunities for networking where you can go in and out of virtual exhibition booths, ask questions directly to Tech & Digital professionals whilst hearing about all the exciting routes into the industry including work experience placements and apprenticeship programs on offer. 

This incredible event will give you a wealth of knowledge and insight into the cutting-edge industry as well as an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals already making moves in their roles – giving you lots of new professional connections and a huge advantage in securing work experience or a degree apprenticeship.  

Get ahead of the crowd and secure your place at this one-of-a-kind event today. Please use the link below to sign up – spaces are limited. 

Registration Link: 

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YP-NAW

Biggest Business Event of the Year! 

Goldman Sachs, PwC, KPMG & more! 

Monday 6th February, 5pm - 8pm 

Calling all prospective business and finance students! We’ve got an incredible event lined up for you and quite possibly one of the biggest to take place yet! 

 On the 6th of February between 5pm – 8pm we are going to be joined by 8 of the world’s biggest finance, accounting, and consulting firms in existence. We have two of the Big 4 Firms PwC and KPMG, world renowned Goldman Sachs, Global Asset Management Firms Legal & General and Fidelity International, Mid-tier Accounting Giants Mazars and Grant Thornton as well as CIMA. 

 Throughout the evening we will have lots of opportunities for networking where you can go in and out of different exhibition booths, ask questions directly to business, accounting, finance, and asset management professionals whilst hearing all about the different routes into the industry including work experience placements and apprenticeship programs. 

 This event is going to give any student a wealth of knowledge, a load of connections from the business profession like no other as well as giving you a huge advantage in securing some work experience or a degree apprenticeship opportunity.  

 If you’d like to secure your place to this virtual one-of-a-kind event, please use the link below to sign up! 

 Registration Link:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YP-NAW

We hope this sounds exciting and we would love to see you there! 

Virtual & Hybrid Work Experience Session for Parents/Carers of 

14-19 yr old

Speakers for Schools is holding an evening webinar for parents and carers of all students aged 14-19 years. This webinar is open to educators and students who want to find out more.

This virtual open evening will showcase our career insight sessions and work experience placements, both virtual and face to face, across all industries and sectors. You will also have the chance to hear from employers including Bentley Motors, NHS, and Tesco about the opportunities they deliver through Speakers for Schools. Remember - all our opportunities are fully funded, so there is no cost to the school or student, and we offer placements in school holidays as well as in term time

If you are interested please follow the link:

Virtual work experience 

Apprenticeships with KPMG

At KPMG, we’ve got exciting and rewarding Apprenticeship opportunities in Audit, Consulting, KPMG Business Services, Tax & Law and Technology. And we need your help to spread the word.

Our nationwide apprenticeships offer the chance to do work that makes a positive difference for organisations, people and communities.  At KPMG, we use our insights, ideas and innovative technologies to deliver impactful solutions. We help transform businesses, develop trust and confidence in markets, and build stronger, fairer communities.

Our Apprentices gain qualifications – including degrees - and work experience that gives them the opportunity to grow, feed their curiosity and gain skills that will last them a lifetime.

We want people from every walk of life, to join and build a career with us. Our supportive teams consist of inspiring and diverse colleagues, and we offer a competitive salary and broad range of employee benefits too.

If you would like to learn more click on the picture below