RY Next Gen: 'Discovering the power of design'

Coming to an agency that has a bigger population than my village, I was nervous walking into RY for the first time. It almost triggered that fight or flight response; but there was no flying (mostly because I’m not a pigeon) and no fighting either (thankfully). I was welcomed to RY with a brew and an invitation to the team’s Monday morning inspiration meeting - there are definitely worse ways to start the week.

 

It can be hard to put yourself out there as an intern; to meet new people for the first time and get to grips with what agency life is about, all whilst trying to not get in the way or ask stupid questions. But everyone was so supportive and always got me involved, whether that be in projects or even just chatting around the table at lunch. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with such an inspiring and driven bunch of designers who don’t take themselves too seriously but still turn out cracking work.

 

Whilst here I’ve had the chance to help out on amazing live projects like Syngenta and ViiV. I’ve also witnessed first-hand the power of design in making a positive change in the world, rather than just as a way to make money, which is something I really valued. I never felt like I was thrown in at the deep end, but instead was given the opportunity to express any ideas I had in a safe and encouraging space.

 

Alongside working on live projects, I was given time to prepare and present a personal project to my team. With the guidance and help of my manager, I created a piece of work that I can add to my portfolio, which is a really nice souvenir to take away.

 

Dear RY, thanks for having me and carry on being fab!

 

Find out more about our Next Gen internship programme and other opportunities, here.