Careers Newsletter: Febuary 2023
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
Careers in Hertfordshire: Film, Media and Creative
A GROWING TALENT BASE
There were 4,550 firms in Hertfordshire’s creative industries in 2016, involved in activities from film-making to digital content production.
The number of employers has grown by 6.5% per year since 2010. Creative industries employed 17,600 people in 2015. Employment has grown by 10.6% annually since 2010, far exceeding the national growth rate of 4.5%.
The University of Hertfordshire is a key contributor to this creative ecosystem, with specialisms in animation, animatronics and digital media. Its animation school, UH Animation, is among the top four in the world. Alumni from the university are actively involved in world-leading games and animation companies and have worked on blockbuster productions such as Harry Potter, Avatar, Prometheus and the GTA series.
Hertfordshire is home to both Elstree Studios and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. Elstree has made three of the top shows on British television: Dancing on Ice and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? for ITV, and Big Brother for Channel 5. Some of the most famous films in the world have been made at Elstree, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The Shining, Superman, and Labyrinth. More recently, Elstree has been home to Kick Ass, The King’s Speech and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Thanks to a £1m Growing Places Fund loan from the LEP Elstree Studios was able to expand its studio space, resulting in it securing the £100m Netflix contract for The Crown.
BBC Elstree Studios has been home to some of the broadcaster’s most popular shows, including Grange Hill, Top of The Pops and Kilroy. BBC Elstree is best known for popular drama programmes such as EastEnders and Holby City.
The £100m Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, owned by Warner Bros. Studios and opened in June 2012, is the largest studio space in the UK and is known worldwide as the home of the Harry Potter films. Other notable films include Edge of Tomorrow, Jupiter Ascending, In the Heart of the Sea and Man from U.N.C.L.E., as well as numerous TV productions and advertisements.
Its secure, 200-acre site is the only facility in Europe owned by a Hollywood studio. It has more than 250,000 square feet of studio space and hosts some of the largest sound stages in the UK, as well as one of the biggest heated underwater filming tanks in Europe. Its 100-acre back-lot is among the most extensive in Europe and can be adapted for multiple production needs.
THRIVING DIGITAL MEDIA
A growing number of digital content, gaming, software and visual effects (VFX) companies have started in Hertfordshire or chosen to locate here.
Hertfordshire’s digital companies produce content for feature films, television, games, commercials, websites and mobile phones. Games production and distribution companies such as Aspyr Media Europe Ltd, Rising Star Games Ltd, and KOEI TECMO Europe Ltd operate successfully from the county, taking advantage of Hertfordshire’s communications links with London and connectivity to key international markets.
For the last ten years, UH Animation’s annual exposé has been a primary recruitment forum for high profile companies seeking out new and exciting 2D, 3D, animation and VFX talent. Companies such as Disney Animation, The Mill, Tandem, Double Negative and Framestore are regular participants.
The University of Hertfordshire is also home to G+VERL (Games & Visual Effects Research Lab), a ground-breaking project linking scientists, artists, clinicians and filmmakers. It brings together the worlds of film, art, technology and computer science to undertake research into digital image-making and high-resolution image technologies. Sharing methods and promoting interdisciplinary understanding, the project brings together world-class research in a wide range of areas, including video art, digital film, visual effects and medical visualisation.
Hertfordshire is strong on promotion too, with corporate and events management companies such as SMYLE helping global brands launch new products or celebrate successes.
For more information please go to www.hopinto.co.uk/
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:
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
