Since rounding off my first year with grace and success and even half way throughout my second year, I have started to think about work placement and internship opportunities that are realistically in stores, linking to the textiles field. All the help and support has been personally grateful to me, to independently send out cover emails and CV’s and cope with the applicant processes, such as informal interviews and such.

The reason why I am trying to grab opportunities for my professional practice was because I personally felt that I needed some more industry experience even after my degree show and graduation of course! I also felt that I needed to work on customer services when dealing with customers either through face to face, emails and even phone calls. Not only I would need to know how I work in an textile industry furthermore, but also evolving my branding skills and even the skills I was always after, before I took place many voluntary and internships.

Here is a little bit of history getting into volunteering at the Native Makers 2017:
June 2017 – Rosie Drake Knight who is a Devon-based textile designer-maker and works at PCA, runs the native makers festival each and we have got communicating and put me in for saturday and sunday slots for the lot.

First of all, Native Makers festival took place at the Royal William Yard where designer- makers and potters do sell their work that come from Devon. When I arrived at the venue on Saturday morning, I got given an apron, which consists of the native makers logo onto denim fabric. Attending the native makers as a volunteer does help me gain communication skills with visitors, especially directions to different rooms. It also does give me the idea of stall presentation when selling and presenting products professionally.

Next steps:
Next, I had handed over CV’s and cover emails to relevant small textile/art and design businesses after I have visited countless trade shows, including Native Makers and Top Drawer and got very excited to see what they had to offer at that time. 
Grace and Favour Home – early 2018 – got asked to do sample tester, sewing a lavender bag, a purse and a toiletry bag assessing my workmanship, quality and sewing skills.

Poppy Treffry – June 2018 – did work placement as their studio assistant for Poppy Treffry based in Penzance, Cornwall, where I learnt so much of everything all in one week. I have learnt to organise the packaging, tagging the home ware products, fold tea towel, making badges and cutting the felt edges for the felt patches in the studio. Tagging and packaging products was done in Poppy Treffry’s shop in St. Ives, which I also enjoyed additionally.

Studio 102 – July 2018 – had an informal interview with Studio 102 to be their intern and had the opportunity to show off my online portfolio and instagram. I had to tell them a bit about me as a textile designer-maker in the making.
A piece of advice:
Make sure you grab opportunities with both hands whether that is working to live briefs, an internship, paid part time job or even work placement, because you will never know until you try! Not only it will develop your personal skills set at university, but it will also evolve your CV in readiness for working in industry.
I hope I have given you the confidence to go out and find creative opportunities while doing an creative arts degree at university with a CV and showing off your creativity through your online portfolio. All you need is self belief and confidence!

Love Farrah x