Design is about passion, we know that already. Working in design also demands determination and hard work as well. Our student Eric Cambres has shared his experience with us: from Valencia to London with a short stopover in Barcelona, this is the story of a friend who has pursued a dream that began long ago here in our university: to become a Graphic Designer. Thank you for everything, Eric!
Since I was little I have been truly passionate about everything related to design and I have always been involved in our family business, a small furniture company which I have always tried to help out with and have a say in – whenever I have been allowed. When the time came for me to choose a degree, I couldn’t really make my mind up until someone told me about the Industrial Design Degree, and when I found out about it, I started doing some research straight away. I had the choice between the Universidad Politécnica or CEU Valencia, and I opted for the latter in the end because I heard great things about the academic staff and the general atmosphere of the university. I will never regret my decision.
During my four year degree at the Technical School of Design, Architecture and Engineering, which flew by, I can say that I was able to share my opinions and work with great professionals in design. Needless to say they were not like professors, but professionals who wanted us to grow and develop professionally as industrial designers. As I say, those were four very short years that really made me a designer.
When I finished my degree I needed a change of scene and to expand my knowledge in the field of Graphic Design, so I decided to do Master’s degree in Elisava (Barcelona). It was a new experience because, even though I was close to home, it changed my life: I made new friends, I learned new things and I came up against people that knew a lot more than I. It was a short year in which my skills as a Graphic Designer improved, and I decided to stay in this field.
As we all know, English is very important and more so in such a competitive world like that of design. Since I did not get enough of that in Barcelona, and thanks to the insistence of a friend of mine from university who was working in London at the time, I decided to move to the capital (or former capital!) of Europe. I needed to learn English as it were and try to find a job as a Graphic Designer.
I started off with a 4-month intensive English course and worked in any kind of event that could help me earn some money. I wanted to perfect my English before starting to work as a designer. In January I started looking for job vacancies, internships, junior positions; whatever I could do to help me introduce myself to the working world and then be able to change to another firm if I wasn’t happy. London is a city where there is high demand, but a city where the greatest competition is found.
It took me a couple of months to find a job, and I was a bit demotivated. After doing fifteen interviews, I got contacted by a strategic agency where they had a team of graphic designers and they invited me to their office for interview. Like everyone, I went there motivated, with a good portfolio, which was personalised to the business I was going to. When I got there I sensed a great atmosphere: a young and joyful team, no tension at all… it gave me a good feeling but I didn’t want give myself hope like a I have done before, in case nothing came of it. After two days I got an e-mail from the firm offering me a 3-month internship and the possibility of getting a position as a Junior Designer.
I was really nervous at first because I felt that my English was not very good. The team welcomed me like another member of the team and made me feel comfortable in the job. After 3 months of hard work and having seen 2 interns leave the firm with no job offer, I thought the end was near, but, the day I had to speak to my supervisor arrived, and they offered me a position as Junior Designer.
I have been working at Butterfly London for 6 months now, where we are a little family and we are growing exponentially. The philosophy in London is totally different to Spain: workers are well treated, we always try to organise events to create a good atmosphere, have a beer together, and go to the pub…
Translated and adapted by: Emily Mizon
