Cardiff and Vale College Creative student Jasmin hired as Graphic Designer for RawFfest youth arts festival

Despite only starting Graphic Communications Foundation Degree course in September, Cardiff and Vale College student Jasmin Choy has already found work – as a Graphic Designer.

Jasmin has been taken on as a Graphic Design Intern at youth arts festival RawFfest. Planned and programmed by young people for young people, RawFfest will take place at the Wales Millennium Centre from 25^th-28^th April.

The organisers of the festival contacted CAVC, asking for Graphic Communications learners. Jasmin applied, and got the internship.

Jasmin’s role will include creating the RawFfest souvenir programme as well as leaflets, posters and banners.

“It’s great – I only moved down from Newcastle to do this Foundation Degree in Graphic Communication a couple of months ago and now I’m actually working in it,” Jasmin, who now lives in Bridgend, said. “My mam cried when I told her.”

A move towards graphic design was a change in direction for Jasmin.

“I was doing an apprenticeship in Cyber Security, but I was doing illustration and graphics in my spare time and I decided I enjoyed doing that more,” she explained. “I didn’t have the UCAS points for university so this foundation course was great for me.

“I’m loving it. It’s perfect and it teaches me everything I will need in the real world. It’s an interesting subject. We are given briefs but we have the freedom to be creative with those briefs.

“The lecturers have been really helpful as well – including with the stuff I’m doing for RawFfest. Constructive criticism! I’m gaining skills that are industry standard which I wouldn’t get if I was still doing this on my own.”

The CAVC Foundation Degree in Graphic Communication is offered in partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University. Learners explore digital and traditional print; photography; information, editorial and publicity design; illustration and interactive web design.

Designed with a strong industry focus, the course utilises the College’s strong links with local design companies and offers a wide range of experimental and commercial briefs. Students study for two years, and take a final third year at Cardiff Met to top up to a full degree.

“This course is really helping me,” Jasmin said. “I really want to go on and work in graphic design.

“I know people say there is more money in cyber security but there is going to be an increase in demand for graphic designers over the next few years.”