BA (Hons) Graphic Design graduate Lucy recently completed a six-week internship at PointZeroGroup (PZG), a renowned creative agency, gaining valuable experience and confidence in her chosen career path.
“Towards the end of uni I was applying for any position that I felt might be a good fit for me!” Lucy explained. “Originally, I applied for a role as an art worker at PZG which I found on Bristol Creative Industries. I was picked up because of my resume and portfolio and about two weeks later Kate, the COO, emailed me inviting me for a chat!”
Following her interview and a tour of the studio, Lucy was offered a six-week internship — an opportunity she describes as incredibly rewarding. “It felt great to be interning there! Everyone was so supportive and positive about my work – both portfolio and present. I had the chance to work on projects for some big brands – within my first few weeks I had a very surreal moment of ‘OMG, I am being paid to illustrate McDonald’s fries!’”
Lucy credits UCW with preparing her for success in the workplace through a combination of technical training, creative experience and personal support. “UCW prepared me for this in a handful of ways: mainly in the variety of work,” she said. “The course covered a wide range of materials and applications so I came into the working world already having an expectation of what I liked and disliked, what my strong points were and where I needed to work on.”
She also highlighted the support she received from the HEART team and her tutors after being diagnosed as autistic during her studies. “They really helped me to understand that this wasn’t the absolute end of the world and that I didn’t have to feel guilt for explaining this to future employers. It was really nice to not feel like I was being treated differently. It really helped me to come to terms with it quicker.”
Reflecting on the skills she developed both at UCW and during her internship, Lucy noted how important her training has been in adapting to professional workflows. “At UCW we were introduced to Figma, something I struggled to grasp initially. Over time I developed my skills in it and have been able to develop that skill during my internship too. An obvious answer would also be the Adobe Suite. I love it now and couldn’t go back,” she said.
Lucy says one of the most valuable aspects of the experience was learning from her colleagues. “The people I have been working with are all incredibly talented so it has been an honour to work with them! I have learnt a lot in my short time there, both personally and career-wise. It has been really fun to bounce ideas off senior members and being given the chance to show them my concepts and work has been both nerve-wracking and exciting,” she said.
To find out more about our BA (Hons) Graphic Design course at UCW!
