Bec(c)ause the placement was worth it…
Hi!
I’m Becca Morrison, a 21 year old Communication Design student at Robert Gordon University. After discovering Yellow Cherry’s website while searching for work placements, I was inspired by both their brand and personality. I couldn’t help but reach out to the Studio Administrator, Jody, and I was offered the amazing opportunity to work with the team for ten weeks.
I have been passionate about art and design for as long as I remember! It all started during my nursery days, I would fill the drying line with my little paintings that I had made for my mum. Once I started high school, I chose to stear clear of subjects such as Chemistry and Geography so that I could focus on more creative subjects. Even when I had to work on non-creative projects, I would always find a way to incorporate art and design. You could guarantee that even in science class, I would be designing and constructing things, I even remember making a paper mache volcano rather than a standard power point presentation! An A for creativity, surely!
Fast forward a few years and here I was, beyond excited to gain experience in a professional environment, something that I had never done before. On my first day, I was welcomed by the whole team and was able to learn from the Managing Director, Sarah, and the Senior Designer, Ruairidh. I was familiar with photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign already, but I was also introduced to not only new tools but new techniques too.
The team at Yellow Cherry are a great group of individuals, each with their own specialities. I was able to benefit from their knowledge and expertise and learned a great deal about the marketing and design process involved in agency life. I was involved in serveral difference projects, but the main design project I was responsible for was creating a 48 page brochure for Yellow Cherry. This was an intimidating task at first but the team were always supportive and helpful. Their feedback allowed me to grow and equip myself with the knowledge I needed to improve.
In addition to learning from the team, I was also able to develop my own skills and techniques. I was given a tool that allowed me to break down each project into smaller tasks and create a timeline in order to ensure that everything was completed on time. This was a great experience as it allowed me to practice time management and project management skills, which are essential for my future in the workplace setting. Being an independent worker was also beneficial as I was able to take ownership of my work. I was given the chance to take risks and experiment with different ideas. I found this to be an incredibly rewarding experience as it allowed me to push my creativity and refine my skills.
Throughout my time at Yellow Cherry, I was also able to develop and expand my understanding of the whole design process. I was able to observe how the team worked together with ease, creating a very pleasant workplace and ensuring the success of the business. This allowed me to understand the importance of collaboration and communication when it comes to design. One of the key things that I have learnt is the importance of creative problem solving. I worked alongside Ruiaridh to come up with creative solutions to any design challenge I encountered. This allowed me to understand that thinking outside the box to come up with innovative solutions is crucial in any design process.
Working with Yellow Cherry has been a truly amazing experience and I am so grateful to have had the chance to work with such a talented team and learn so much. I am confident that my academic and professional experiences have equipped me for success in any future endeavours and I am enthusiastic to head into the professional world to apply everything that I have learnt!
For now, it is back to student life. Well, until the summer when I hope to find some graphic design work and spend time on developing my portfolio. Even if I am not working, you can be sure that I will be doing something creative, from macrame to pressing flowers, embroidery to digital drawing, or just creating lasting memories hiking with my gorgeous pup, Opie!
Thank you Yellow Cherry!
It’s not goodbye, it’s a see you later!
Love Becca