I always wanted to be a graphic designer – It’s such a competitive field so I knew it would be a bit tricky to break into.
I did a degree in Design and Art Direction at Manchester Metropolitan University and specialised in design, as I knew this was the area I wanted to get into.
Getting work experience in the sector is key due to the competitiveness of design work, I undertook a lot of work experience, and even then, felt lucky when I got my break. So many people I went to uni with didn’t end up becoming designers because they couldn’t break into the field.
Once I graduated, I worked for a couple of small agencies before going on to freelance. Working for really small agencies meant I got to experience every part of the design process, including areas like commissioning, photography and print management. In a big agency, this wouldn’t have been possible.
I joined GC in 2010 as a Senior Graphic Designer and have never looked back! Working at GC has been a great fit for me. In the 14 years I’ve been here I’ve progressed, first to Design Manager in 2015 and then to Group Design Manager in 2022.
For a long time, it was just me and another designer in the team but as GC has grown, we have evolved to support the needs of its growing portfolio of services. I feel lucky working for a company like GC - I’ve never felt like my career has stagnated. There’s always been an opportunity to develop my skills in ways I never thought I would. For example, I’m now skilled in client-facing work, in an agency it would be someone else’s role to manage clients.
I also now manage people, and with GC’s support I’ve grown into it and grown in confidence. I found it’s given me lots of great skills and experience.
I’ve also had the opportunity to mentor team members, and that's quite a nice thing to do. It has given me some really proud moments. Like when you see a project go from inception to creation and think, oh, you know what? – my role in that has actually been quite minimal. I may have tweaked little things, or stepped in to support at points in the process, but really I’ve been able to see the team progress and develop in an empowered way and with such confidence.
Since working at GC, I’ve found the variety and scope of what I’m working on changes so much. This is what keeps me at GC, it’s always changing, evolving and challenging me and, it’s certainly never boring! This can be stressful at times because I work in a fast-paced environment, but it’s always interesting and rewarding.
It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the internal vacancies page if you’re looking to progress or have a chat with your manager about development opportunities. For me GC, has been and is a great place to work!