IDEA’s Work Integrated Learning — we asked a few of this year’s students and hosts what it was that made them a fit for each other

April 18, 2022 James Neufeld

It’s that time of year at IDEA School of Design—practicum time! Many applicants list the practicum as being one of the key reasons they choose our school. When they leave, most graduates tell us that this Work Integrated Learning experience was a highlight of their time in the program.

Every March the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication program’s 4th-year students head out on a 240-hour placement before they graduate. IDES 490 Industry Practicum marks the end of their learning journey with IDEA School of Design. This immersion into the local industry is long-awaited and hard-earned. Students spend 4 years honing their skills to reach this point. Practicum is both a reward for and an affirmation of all their hard work.

Work in progress character design sketches of a male character for a new IP created by Alex Chen at Little Mountain Animation

To ensure that students have a meaningful, enjoyable, and nurturing practicum experience Ben Frey and Mark Stokoe, the program’s practicum team, work year-round behind the scenes to maintain close relationships with our industry connections. Every year our hosts are a mix of new participants and faithful supporters. They include illustration and art studios, interface design companies, fashion brands, advertising agencies, branding, digital agencies, and animation studios.

This year’s students were welcomed at 123w, Chairman Ting Industries Inc., Engine Digital, Jesters Animation, Johnnie Christmas, Little Mountain Animation, Metalab, Monday Creative, Native Shoes, NGX Interactive, PS&Co., Rethink, St. Bernadine, Triumf, Ubersuggest, and Will Creative.

Work in progress character design sketches of a female character for a new IP by Alex Chen at Little Mountain Animation

Students can apply to a number of practicum positions. They meet with multiple potential hosts which provides them with valuable interview experience as well as networking opportunities. In the Spring of third-year students take the DSGN 320 Professional Development I class which helps them to develop a personal brand and to better understand what unique attributes they possess. We talk to students about “fit”—finding the right workplace is not just about what’s in your portfolio, it’s about who you are and what makes you tick. Hosts are looking for chemistry as much as work style compatibility.

We asked a few of this year’s students and hosts what it was that made them a fit for each other.

Illustration concentration student Alex Chen and Nathan Thomas of Little Mountain Animation:

Zoom meeting with Alex and Nathan where they discuss character stylization for a developing character

Interactive concentration student Joyce Chan and Ricky Knight of Ubersuggest:

Ubersuggest UX Team Weekly zoom meeting with Ricky, Miles, Sabrina and Joyce

Non-concentration student Alexandra Westcott and Scott Strathern of Engine Digital:

I started making hard decisions about the areas of my discipline that interest me most, what kind of work I’d like to do, who I’d want to work for, how I would best represent myself in an interview, and what the “right” fit meant. When hosts began making their offers at the end of what felt like several introspective weeks, I was faced with another decision, but unlike every other, this one was quite easy to make. I’m really interested in taking my traditional communication design skills and learning to apply them in a progressive way. Engine could support me right where I wanted to be at this stage, a place that bridges the gaps between visual design, strategy and development—a dynamic that I didn’t think existed in many Canadian agencies. What really drew me to Engine is the team's celebration of cross-disciplinary processes and close peer-to-peer collaboration.

Alexandra Westcott

Alex meeting with the Engine Digital team.

We were very excited to be asked to participate in the IDEA practicum intake this year. It is important for our founders that we continue to develop opportunities for the next generation of designers and the applicants we received were very strong. For Alex specifically, it was her inquiries into cross-discipline collaboration and interest in process-driven solutions that we thought she would make a great fit. The way Alex took us through the work displayed the level of detail on craft and the thinking behind the visuals we value at Engine Digital. The interview team, myself, and the agency as a whole were very glad when Alex agreed to come on board and the first two weeks, although intense, have been great. I myself, and my peers hope Alex will get a lot of learnings out of her time with us and see firsthand about how much we care about quality work, collaboration, personal development, and fun.

Scott Strathern of Engine Digital