Jasmine Salterpicco: My experience on the Creative Professional Development diploma

Allow me to introduce myself – I’m Jasmine Salterpicco, a BA (Hons) Illustration student at Norwich University of the Arts. However, I am here to talk to you about the Creative Professional Development Diploma. I’ve been delving into the exciting realm of the Creative Professional Development course here, and it’s been quite the adventure.

Why did you choose to study Creative Professional Development?

Picture this – I’m at a crossroads in my second year of university, unsure of which path to take once I graduate and not feeling very ready to complete my final year. Design work experience? Zero. Understanding of office life? Minimal. Cue the Creative Professional Development year, offering me a chance to dive head first into the real-world creative industry. It was daunting, but the opportunity was just too good to pass up. So, what’s the diploma all about? Well, it’s a bridge between the second and third year, packed with two work placements – one for six weeks, the other for twelve. It’s sprinkled with workshops on everything from nailing presentations and mastering time management to setting up your own business. It’s like a crash course in becoming a creative professional powerhouse. Before kicking off the placements, we had a three-week workshop stint at the University. Three weeks of gearing up, polishing soft skills and boosting confidence. A great opportunity to get to know your new classmates from all sorts of courses, further expanding my network at the University. The course tutor arranged each placement to match individuals’ interests and the skills they’d like to develop. Then before each placement, we were introduced to our mentors. The mentors are like line managers, they work within the companies but are also there to support you during your time within the placement.

Placement 1: Voluntary Norfolk

My first placement was at Voluntary Norfolk, a charity organisation, where I worked in the communication department. Being a part of this team meant I was able to get a whirlwind experience of the responsibilities of a communication team. From organising events to running social media and crafting illustrations for promoting charity programmes – it was a rollercoaster of learning curves. Sure, adjusting to the 9 to 5 grind felt like a plot twist, but the connections I made and the experience of working in an office were invaluable. I was given real-life briefs to work on and was able to use many of my skills from my Illustration course to create a variety of work for Voluntary Norfolk. I felt it was an amazing experience to show what I could do to professionals beyond just design.

Placement 2: Lisa Angel

My second placement was at Lisa Angel, a home, jewellery and gift company. This comprised twelve weeks of immersing myself in the inner workings of the company. I was able to be a part of the design, marketing, wholesale, warehouse and personalisation departments.  One of my main roles was designing products for Father’s Day. These designs will then be sold in the shops and online. This meant working closely alongside one of the staff designers, learning about how they predict trends and improving my skills in Adobe Illustrator. I got to experience the workings of hiring an in-house designer and understand the responsibilities and skills needed as a mid-weight designer. My time at my placement was so successful that I even landed a summer job offer at Lisa Angel – it was like a dream come true.

What have you gained from the diploma?

A unique point of the course is that even throughout the placements, I still had access to University facilities and unwavering support. The diploma has been a game-changer, opening doors I never thought possible and paving the way for my future in the creative industry. I have a clearer understanding of what kind of company and job I would like in my future.

Do you have any advice for those considering Creative Professional Development?

If you’re considering taking the plunge into the world of Creative Professional Development, here are some words of wisdom from me: stay friendly, stay positive, but cut yourself some slack. Nobody expects you to revolutionise the company overnight. Embrace the 9 to 5 hustle, soak in the opportunities, and you might just stumble upon your dream role along the way. If you’re ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery, tea-fuelled brainstorming sessions, and endless creative possibilities, then then take a look at the Creative Professional Development diploma. Be ready to chase dreams, dip a toe in the adult world and sip tea like there’s no tomorrow!

See more of Jasmine’s work:

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Level 5 Diplomas at Norwich

All students have an opportunity to spend a year, between the second and third year of their course, enhancing their technical skills and employability options through a Level 5 Diploma. The diploma in Creative Professional Development has been developed to offer undergraduate students the chance to spend a year exploring their employability options through a structured programme of input sessions and work-based learning. The Creative Computing diploma is designed to introduce you to creative computing, and to help give you an understanding of how coding skills can be used to advance and complement your creative practice.