North Hertfordshire College’s Level 3 Art & Design students have worked with MacroArt, a large format printing & installation solutions company, for an exciting work experience collaboration!
To launch the project, MacroArt Studio Manager James Gifford and Graphic Designer Liam Lee took our learners through the studio’s work and the company’s 30-year history. They shared some of their work in building an international client base and their drive to incorporate sustainability into their projects and products – a key element of their business ethos. Our learners were inspired by the impressive portfolio the studio has built up across a range of products and sectors, including theme park 3D graphics solutions for large-scale sports stadium sponsorship/event branding for the EFL.
With their creativity starting to flow, our learners were then introduced to their work-based challenge: designing a window display for a retail giant to use in their stores! Our learners worked hard to generate and submit unique design concepts to the MacroArt team. They incorporated a series of brand assets assigned to the brief and worked within the design considerations to ensure their work fitted with the business’ needs.
When James and Liam and their Operations Director Mark Rose returned for the presentation session, they were all impressed with the results. Our students presented their mood boards, idea development panels, materials and image research, final hand drawings, and their graphic designs to demonstrate their concept development and support their idea proposals. They also were able to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for learning with their employer mentors during the session.
The hard work and dedication that went into creating the designs didn’t go unnoticed by the MacroArt team. Mark Rose, Operations Director for MacroArt, commented: “Overall, I was so impressed by the students and their individuality within the designs. I asked them what the driving factor was behind the designs and most of them related their own experiences of what they see and how they are drawn into shops to how they created their designs.”
James Gifford, Studio Manager for MacroArt, also agreed. He said: “I was genuinely impressed with the time and effort taken. Some of the examples look just like the kind of ideas/concepts we receive from our client studios.”
The students enjoyed the experience of working with MacroArt for the employer project. Evelyn, one of our Level 3 Art & Design students, told us: “I enjoyed taking part in a work experience project that was more industry-based, and I liked that we had people come in from the company to talk to us. Overall, I was happy with my final submission.”
Thank you to MacroArt for collaborating on this amazing experience!
If you’re interested in starting your own career in the creative industries, be sure to check out North Hertfordshire College’s Creative Industries courses! With NHC, you can stay close to home and work with amazing employers, helping you go far in your future career.