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Jemma McCann
BBC

Where do you work?
The BBC in London.

What is your role?
I'm a Brand Executive. I work closely with agencies, helping to craft the campaigns that they produce for the BBC. There are also opportunities for me to do some of the creative stuff myself, particularly for internal communications and for smaller channels such as local BBC radio stations.

In terms of my freelance work, my role is quite varied and it really depends on what the client requires. I've designed graphics, products, brand identities and even retail spaces over the past year.

Did you feel confident about entering the design industry after you graduated?
Absolutely! I was already working in the industry so I vaguely knew the ropes. The amount of work in my portfolio, and indeed the breadth and quality of that work, allowed me to cross over to the creative side quite quickly after graduating.

What were you doing before the course?
I had worked as an account manager at an integrated advertising agency, and then as a producer at a branding and design agency.

Why did you decide to do the course?
I wanted the opportunity to be more creative in my professional life and felt I needed some training in the process and the technical craft in order to do this successfully. The course also gave me the opportunity to develop a comprehensive portfolio — something that I would have struggled to do otherwise.

What was the most valuable thing you took away from the course?
My portfolio but, in a broader sense, the confidence and ability to tackle a creative brief in a structured way. At first, it can be quite difficult to know where to start but the course helped bring focus to my sprawling ideas! The teachers were fantastic and the classes were consistently inspiring.

Where do you see yourself in 12 months?
Hopefully still doing what I'm doing now, combining my management ability with my creative skills and getting the chance to work on some exciting projects.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Designing products that were sold in the shop at the Tate Modern. Having a range of physical objects that I'd personally created was really satisfying, and being involved with such a big name in the arts world was a proud moment for me.

Jemma McCann

Shillington graduates talk about life after completing our course.

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