Internships have many benefits. Between design school and being a professional, they provide a place to learn invaluable information that is not taught in the classroom. Working as an intern for Design the Planet has helped to give me confidence in myself while teaching me useful knowledge for my future.
Skills that are developed in design school can be honed and built upon during an internship. Multitasking is necessary for both the worlds of school and work, and learning to juggle tasks in the professional world is like handling multiple class projects. The difference is that real world projects are completed much faster, and there is more than a grade at stake. One major adjustment was learning to work on an hourly billable payment system. In school, I had an infinite amount of hours to commit to the project until the deadline, whereas during my internship at Design The Planet, I learned how to estimate the hours I would need. Then, I had to step outside of my comfort zone in order to complete the project within that specific amount of time. My internship was a great form of practice to balance speed and great design with the help of the professional designers around me.
Also, watching the workings at Design the Planet has conveyed to me the vital importance of creating a strong brand from the beginning. If a company decides to franchise, there is a priority to provide the same experience to each customer, despite the store’s different locations. In school, I was taught to provide strong concepts; I now see why, as I’ve watched Design the Planet help businesses to expand to other markets while staying true to their core brand.
Getting to see design principles put into action and learning better ways to work faster are only a few of the benefits that I’ve experienced during my time here at DTP. Design the Planet has been a wonderful educational experience, as well as a chance to meet great new friends and immerse myself in a creative, innovative environment to foster and enhance my capabilities.
