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30 Aug 2018

Say hi to our latest intern and find out what it's really like to work at Snook

Selina Begum is our newest intern. At just 18 years old, she has come to Snook through the Hackney 100 placement scheme. Hackney 100 offers paid placements for local young people at high profile businesses in the area. We caught up with Selina to find out what she has been up to, and what she’s learnt from her time in our London studio.

Hi Selina! How did you come to find yourself at Snook?

I really liked the idea of working with a design company. This led me to being matched up by the Hackney100 scheme. In June they connected me to Snook, who had seen my CV and invited me to an interview. I had prepared some previous projects to talk about even though I had no idea what to expect! They asked me questions about what sort of design projects I had been involved and why I wanted to work here. Overall they  assured me that design experience wasn’t essential for this internship, but a positive attitude was!

What have you been doing on your internship?

I have been working with a range of designers and researchers to help understand how we might support residents to increase levels of physical activity in Camden! I have learnt so much, from the way a proposal works to the way designers function day-to-day. Furthermore, I have gained an understanding of how important research is. From the various ways we can do it, to how it can be a foundation for solutions.  

Most importantly I have learnt that design isn’t as easy as people make it look! The design process is so varied. From researching possible outcomes to understanding the user’s viewpoint, being at Snook has deepened my understanding of the effectiveness of design.

What will you take with you when you leave?

The main learning point is that my perception of design has completely changed. I had always thought that design was simple and 2 dimensional. However, working at Snook, has made me see that design should be about solving a problem and taking every factor into consideration. For example, when looking at consumers, it’s important to see the barriers they face, so that we, as designers, can understand the issue that needs to be solved.

What’s next?

I would like to deepen my experience and understanding of design. I plan to do this by gaining experience at few more companies within the design sector. I have just done my A-levels and have been accepted into university to study Psychology and Counselling at Westminster. However completing a placement at Snook has really brought me back to the world of design, which I love, and I hope to keep utilising design in the future.

Overall, being part of a busy agency has really inspired me! It has helped me realise that design can be a key part of solving major issues in our society.

I look forward to bringing this attitude and learning into my future work.

Interested in working at Snook?

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