Meet CJ, one of our Supported Interns at North Hertfordshire College. CJ is currently on placement with Stevenage Borough Council and works with Junction 7 Creatives in the Town Centre.
Recently, CJ worked with Junction 7 to plan and coordinate the Urban Arts Festival in Stevenage Town Centre. The festival was a celebration of urban art, featuring skateboarders, dancers, singers, street artists, and fashion designers. The event was a huge success, with over 600 attendees and coverage on the local radio.
We managed to find a date in CJ’s very busy schedule to catch up with him about his experience so far…
What is the most interesting part of your course?
“I really enjoy the creativity at Junction 7, we work with local businesses to launch events like the Urban Arts Festival. I like networking and meeting new people too, like the guests we get at Stevenage Borough Council and the autism group at Junction 7.”
What are your next steps after your programme finishes?
“I hope to continue volunteering with Junction 7 and Stevenage Borough Council as I am really enjoying working with them. After working with Junction 7, I found my passion for graphic design and recently launched my own business, CJ’s Supreme Designs. I have already completed work for a small business called Divine Designs and I am excited to see what other work I can do.”
What was the most surprising thing about studying at the College?
“I recently gave a presentation to my tutors about communication, explaining my poor experiences and good experiences along with suggestions for how we can improve. I was so surprised by my tutors’ responses; I was not expecting such good feedback! This has really boosted my self-confidence and presentation skills.
“I was also really surprised by the success of the Urban Arts Festival, over 600 people came! Seeing my work all over the town really helped me see that I can contribute to a successful event. I even appeared on SG1 Radio!”
How has the College/your course helped you plan your next steps?
“Working with Junction 7 made me realise how much I enjoy graphic design; I’m now hoping to work with graphic designers and companies like Junction 7 in future. The course has really helped me gain confidence in my skills and has helped me feel ready to launch my own business.
“As part of my course, I’ve been working with Junction 7 Creatives in the Town Centre which has allowed me to meet new people and work with them to create new ideas. I have also been working with Stevenage Borough Council which has helped me make changes to my work to fit the brief I was given. Both of these placements have given me the confidence boost I needed to start CJ’s Supreme Designs.”
If you could speak to someone that’s thinking of studying at NHC, what would you say to them?
“Experience everything, you never know what skills the opportunities might provide. Get stuck in with everything, try every task.”
And finally, where do you hope to be in five years’ time?
“I’d like to be happy and content, maybe working as a video editor or voice actor. I hope to be happy in my work, still open to trying everything and experiencing new things.”
Check out CJ’s incredible work on his business Instagram account – @CJ_supreme_graffix
To find out more about Supported Internships at North Hertfordshire College and how you can get involved, please visit our Supported Studies page or Give a Future campaign.