My Commitment to Continuous Improvement as a Designer

Embarking on the final stretch of my degree was exciting, but it also filled me with uncertainty and fear. I found myself doubting my readiness for the real world and whether I truly had what it takes to be a fully-fledged designer. Little did I realise, my internship experience at BMW Group + QUT Design Academy ended up kickstarting my growth early on in my career in unexpected ways.

Tasked with refreshing the Academy's brand identity, I dove into refining the style guide, revamping the website, and reimagining their social media presence, particularly on Instagram. Initially, aligning with the company's design style seemed daunting, but I shifted my mindset to embrace the challenge of creating diverse graphic styles as if I were designing for different clients. In doing so, I uncovered a valuable strength — flexibility and adaptability. From then onwards, I embraced this newfound versatility and approached the rest of the design challenges with a little more confidence.

I entered this internship fully expecting to hone my technical and soft skills, particularly my biggest weakness: presentation skills. As an introvert grappling with imposter syndrome, the thought of presenting ideas to professionals was intimidating. Yet, this internship provided ample opportunities to confront these fears head-on. My knowledgeable colleagues (Jordan, Tim, Epi, and Taharah), including Academy founder Rafael, offered invaluable feedback to improve my skills. Their support and genuine desire to see us interns succeed motivate me to strive for excellence.

Expecting to tackle projects independently, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself collaborating closely with Avery, a fellow Visual Communication design intern (who is now a friend!). We complemented each other’s strengths well, and he inspired me to have more courage to push boundaries, as sometimes the unconventional path leads to the best solution. Thanks, Avery!

As my internship with the Academy comes to an end, saying goodbye to my colleagues has never felt more bittersweet. These few months have been nothing short of extraordinary, and I’m excited for my journey ahead with this newfound confidence and skills honed through this experience.

To all future Academy interns, take heart — you’re in good hands. Never underestimate the power of immersing yourself in the workforce, no matter how brief, as those lessons will help you learn and grow the most. As I’m writing this, I too am reminded to approach each moment with curiosity, gratitude, and a commitment to continuous improvement as a designer.

Chloe Leung
Academy WIL Intern, Semester 1 2024