Hi, I’m Zaynub and I’m a MA Graphic Communications graduate. After graduating in December 2019, finding a job in the creative industry proved to be very difficult and eventually, it almost came to a halt altogether due to the impact of Covid-19. However, I was very fortunate to have been selected as one of Cowshed’s BAME interns, and I can truly say that the whole experience has been a huge learning curve for me.
Although challenging at times, this internship has allowed me to gain invaluable industry experience that has contributed to my personal growth and development. From enhancing my communication skills to balancing and organising my workload, it has taught me a lot about myself. This internship has highlighted my strengths, as well as showing me areas in which I can improve. I have also been able to learn from different members of the team and have developed new skills as well as improving my existing skills. I’ve enhanced my knowledge about creative and design processes whilst also building new software and development skills.
What I’ve enjoyed most during my time here at Cowshed is the fact that each day has been so different, which has meant that I’ve been able to work on a number of incredible campaigns. I was fortunate enough to work across both the campaign and creative teams, so my day-to-day has varied from design research and development to stakeholder engagement and influencer relations. Previously, I’d found that working independently as a freelancer can get a bit lonely at times so it has been great to bounce ideas around during creative team sessions and to have the opportunity to work collaboratively.
I was initially attracted to this internship as it’s the only one I’ve come across in Wales which is specifically for BAME individuals. It’s a sad reality that the BAME community are at a disadvantage in many aspects of life, so this internship gives an invaluable opportunity to BAME individuals. I can only hope that Cowshed continues to champion diversity and paves the way to encourage and influence other communication and design agencies to do the same.
I would recommend this internship to not only students and graduates, but also to those who are looking to start a new chapter in their careers or lives. These 12 weeks have allowed me to understand what I want to do, what I want to achieve, and this would not have been possible without this internship.
A massive thank you to Vicki and the team, I wish you every success and look forward to seeing what 2021 brings for Cowshed.
